Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41736372›Full record

ArticleTuberculosis and respiratory diseases2026

Imaging in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Ready for Prime Time?

Hyeon-Kyoung Koo, Surya P Bhatt

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tuberculosis and respiratory diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Hyeon-Kyoung KooDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Surya P BhattDivision of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

Funding

Ministry of Science and ICTNational Research Foundation of Korea RS-2024-00359875
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health burden, affecting over 392 million individuals and causing approximately 3.3 million deaths annually. Although spirometry remains the cornerstone for diagnosing airflow limitation, it incompletely reflects the structural and biological heterogeneity of the disease, and many smokers with preserved spirometry exhibit substantial parenchymal and airway abnormalities. Advances in imaging-particularly quantitative computed tomography (QCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET)-enable comprehensive assessment of structural, functional, and inflammatory processes in COPD. QCT-derived emphysema metrics, including the 15th percentile lung density, mean lung density, and low attenuation area percentage, are reproducible, sensitive to progression, and widely used as outcome measures. Small airway disease can be characterized using parametric response mapping and complementary voxel-based indices that detect subclinical gas trapping and regional volume changes. The concept of mechanically affected lung highlights functionally impaired regions adjacent to emphysema that contribute to disease progression and mortality. Airway remodeling metrics, such as Pi10, PiSlope, tapering slope, and airway fractal dimension, further provide prognostic information. Mucus plug burden independently predicts mortality and represents a potential surrogate endpoint in therapeutic trials. Advanced MRI techniques and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET offer radiation-free or inflammatory insights, respectively. Current evidence supports that imaging is ready to evolve from an adjunct to a core element of COPD research and care.

Indexed as

Airway RemodelingChronic Obstructive Pulmonary DiseaseEmphysemaImaging BiomarkersParametric Response MappingQuantitative Computed TomographySmall Airway Disease

Identifiers

PMID41736372
PMCPMC13065400

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.