Computed Tomography Measurement of Rib Cage Morphometry in Emphysema

Background: Factors determining the shape of the human rib cage are not completely understood. We aimed to quantify the contribution of anthropometric and COPD-related changes to rib cage variability in adult cigarette smokers. Methods: Rib cage diameters and areas (calculated from the inner surface of the rib cage) in 816 smokers with or without COPD, were evaluated at three anatomical levels using computed tomography (CT). CTs were analyzed with software, which allows quantification of total emphysema (emphysema%). The relationship between rib cage measurements and anthropometric factors, lung function indices, and %emphysema were tested using linear regression models. Results: A model that included gender, age, BMI, emphysema%, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)%, and forced vital capacity (FVC)% fit best with the rib cage measurements (R2  = 64% for the rib cage area variation at the lower anatomical level). Gender had the biggest impact on rib cage diameter and area (105.3 cm2; 95% CI: 111.7 to 98.8 for male lower area). Emphysema% was responsible for an increase in size of upper and middle CT areas (up to 5.4 cm2; 95% CI: 3.0 to 7.8 for an emphysema increase of 5%). Lower rib cage areas decreased as FVC% decreased (5.1 cm2; 95% CI: 2.5 to 7.6 for 10 percentage points of FVC variation). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that simple CT measurements can predict rib cage morphometric variability and also highlight relationships between rib cage morphometry and emphysema

The bonnes in the district of Bamako, Mali

Convinti che sia impossibile parlare del sottosviluppo in modo astratto e generalizzato, senza affrontare anche l\u2019analisi di singole realt\ue0, con le loro particolarit\ue0 e diversit\ue0, lo studio sulla situazione de \u201cle Bonnes\u201d in Mali ha inteso analizzare un caso concreto, attraverso alcune particolari chiavi di lettura, per meglio comprendere perch\ue9 alcune regioni siano ancora profondamente immerse nella povert\ue0, mentre altre siano giunte alla soglia di un discreto benessere

Dall'A-irone alla Z-anzara passando per G-atto

MOSTR