Modern imaging of the tracheo-bronchial tree

Table 1 Broad classification of diseases of the trachea and main-stem bronchi

Diffuse tracheal pathology

Associated with tracheobronchomegaly

Related to recurrent chest infections (most common cause)

Tracheobronchomegaly (Mounier-Kuhn disease)

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Saber-sheath trachea (increased sagittal diameter)

Asssociated with a normal or decreased size of the trachea

Tracheo-bronchomalacia

Relapsing polychondritis

Wegener granulomatosis

Acute tracheo-bronchitis of infectious etiology

Chronic tracheobronchitis associated with autoimmune diseases

Tracheal web

Amyloidosis

Sarcoidosis

Tracheopathia osteoplastica

Focal tracheal pathology

Intrinsic

Acquired tracheal stricture (mostly iatrogenic related to intubation)

Idiopathic tracheal stricture

Benign neoplasms

Primary malignant neoplasms

Secondary malignant neoplasms

Extrinsic

Compression from adjacent structures or lymphadenopathy

Vascular anomalies/slings