Table Info

Table 1.

Available methods to assess bronchial airways (both large and small airways)

Assessment	Method	Large airway dysfunction	SAD
Functional assessment	Spirometry	FEV₁/FVC, FEV₁	FEF_25–75%, FVC, FVC/SVC
	IOS	R20	R5–R20, X5, AX, Fres ΔX5 in-esp
	MBNW or SBNW	-	Slope phase III, CV, CC, Sacin, Scond
	Body plethysmography	-	RV, RV/TLC
Imaging assessment	HRCT	Airway wall thickness	Thickness of the airway wall, air trapping
	Nuclear medicine (scintigraphy, SPECT, PET)	-	Regional ventilation defects
	³He-MRI	-	Non-ventilated lung volume
	CT and computational fluid dynamics	-	Changes in airway volume and resistance
Cellular/molecular assessment	Bronchoscopy	Endobronchial biopsy	Bronchoalveolar lavage, transbronchial biopsy
	Sputum induction	Early phase sputum	Late phase sputum
	eNO	Bronchial eNO	Alveolar eNO

AX: reactance area; CC: closing capacity; CT: computed tomography; CV: closing volume; eNO: exhaled nitric oxide; Fres: resonant frequency; HRCT: high-resolution computerized tomography; in-esp: in expiration; MBNW: multiple breath nitrogen washout test; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging; PET: positron emission tomography; RV: residual volume; Sacin and Scond: acinar and conductive airways ventilation heterogeneity; SBNW: single breath nitrogen washout test; SPECT: single-photon emission CT; SVC: slow vital capacity; TLC: total lung capacity; X5: reactance at 5 Hz. -: not applicable

Declarations

Author contributions

MC, PC, AB, ML, and CL: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing—review & editing. MC: Writing—original draft. AB: Validation, Supervision. All authors read and approved the submitted version.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent to publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable.

Funding

Not applicable.

Copyright

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