Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026.
World J Radiol. May 28, 2026; 18(5): 117936
Published online May 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i5.117936
Published online May 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i5.117936
Table 1 Bhalla scoring
| Category | Score | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Severity of bronchiectasis | Absent | Mild (luminal diameter slightly greater than diameter of adjacent blood vessel) | Moderate (lumen 2-3 times the diameter of the vessel) | Severe (lumen > 3 times diameter of vessel) |
| Peribronchial thickening | Absent | Mild (wall thickness equal to diameter of adjacent vessel) | Moderate (wall thickness greater than and up to twice the diameter of adjacent vessel) | Severe (wall thickness > 2 times the diameter of adjacent vessel) |
| Extent of bronchiectasis (No. of lung segments) | Absent | 1-5 | 6-9 | > 9 |
| Extent of mucus plugging (No. of lung segments) | Absent | 1-5 | 6-9 | > 9 |
| Sacculations or abscesses (No. of lung segments) | Absent | 1-5 | 6-9 | > 9 |
| Generations of bronchial divisions involved (bronchiectasis or plugging) | Absent | Up to 4th generation | Up to 5th generation | Up to the 6th generation and distal |
| No. of bullae | Absent | Unilateral (not > 4) | Bilateral (not > 4) | > 4 |
| Emphysema (No. of lung segments) | Absent | 1-5 | > 5 | |
| Collapse or consolidation | Absent | Subsegmental | Segmental or lobar | |
Table 2 Comparison of high-resolution computed tomography chest findings at baseline and after one year of follow-up, n (%)
| HRCT finding | Baseline (n = 32) | After 1-year follow-up (n = 32) |
| Bronchiectasis | 30 (93.7) | 31 (96.9) |
| Peribronchial thickening | 20 (62.5) | 32 (100) |
| Consolidation/collapse | 16 (50) | 30 (93.75) |
| Mucous plugging | 10 (31.3) | 20 (62.5) |
| Sacculation/abscess formation | 5 (15.6) | 8 (25) |
| Bullae formation | 5 (15.6) | 12 (37.5) |
| Emphysema | 5 (15.6) | 14 (43.75) |
Table 3 Baseline and one-year follow-up high-resolution computed tomography (Bhalla) scores and pulmonary function tests, mean ± SD
| Parameter | Baseline | After 1-year follow-up | Age change (%) | P value |
| HRCT Bhalla score | 5.50 ± 3.26 | 8.25 ± 3.82 | 50 | < 0.001 |
| FEV1 (% predicted) | 73.38 ± 19.49 | 69.50 ± 18.81 | 5.2 | 0.093 |
| FVC (% predicted) | 78.75 ± 15.77 | 75.94 ± 15.6 | 3.6 | 0.12 |
| FEV1/FVC | 91.56 ± 12.62 | 88.94 ± 12.36 | 2.9 | 0.10 |
Table 4 Correlation between high-resolution computed tomography (Bhalla) score and pulmonary function tests at baseline and one-year follow-up
| Time point | PFT parameter | Correlation with Bhalla score (r) | P value |
| Baseline | FEV1 (% predicted) | -0.67 | 0.002 |
| FVC (% predicted) | -0.54 | 0.019 | |
| Oneyear follow-up | FEV1 (% predicted) | -0.79 | < 0.001 |
| FVC (% predicted) | -0.69 | 0.003 |
- Citation: Suhail JM, Wagay MI, Parry AH, Bhat IM, Sheikh RR, Bhat MA. Radiologic progression with minimal functional decline in cystic fibrosis: Insights from a prospective study. World J Radiol 2026; 18(5): 117936
- URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/1949-8470/full/v18/i5/117936.htm
- DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4329/wjr.v18.i5.117936