Tree - in - bud sign - wikipedia Tree - in - bud sign Sagittal reformatted CT image showing `` tree in bud '' appearance of impacted distal small airways in primary ciliary dyskinesia. In radiology, the tree - in - bud sign is a finding on a CT scan that indicates some degree of airway obstruction. The tree - in - bud sign is a nonspecific imaging finding that implies impaction within bronchioles, the smallest airway passages in the lung. The differential for this finding includes malignant and inflammatory etiologies, either infectious or sterile. This includes fungal infections, mycobacterial infections such as tuberculosis or mycobacterium avium intracellulare, bronchopneumonia, chronic aspiration pneumonia, cystic fibrosis or cellular impaction from bronchovascular spread of malignancy, as can occur with breast cancer, leukemia or lymphoma. It also includes lung manifestations of autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren 's syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis. Histopathologic studies have shown that the tree - in - bud pattern is caused by demarcation of the normally invisible branching course of the peripheral airways, which usually results from bronchioles being plugged or blocked with mucus, pus or fluid. In addition, dilated and thickened walls of the peripheral airways and peribronchitis can make the affected bronchioles more easily visible, as is seen in patients with cystic fibrosis. References Jump up ^ Eisenhuber E ( March 2002 ). `` The tree - in - bud sign ''. Radiology. 222 ( 3 ) : 771 -- 2. doi : 10.1148 / radiol. 2223991980. PMID 11867799. Jump up ^ Fretz, G ; Krause, M ; Thurnheer, R ( 2009 ). `` Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, dyspnoea and `` tree - in - bud '' sign on chest CT scan ``. BMJ case reports. 2009 : bcr0320091672. doi : 10.1136 / bcr. 03.2009. 1672. PMC 3027947. PMID 21853008. Jump up ^ Gosset, N ; Bankier, AA ; Eisenberg, RL ( December 2009 ). `` Tree - in - bud pattern ''. AJR. American journal of roentgenology. 193 ( 6 ) : W472 -- 7. doi : 10.2214 / ajr. 09.3401. PMID 19933620. Jump up ^ Eisenhuber, E ( March 2002 ). `` The tree - in - bud sign ''. Radiology. 222 ( 3 ) : 771 -- 2. doi : 10.1148 / radiol. 2223991980. PMID 11867799. External links radiology.rsnajnls.org ( PDF ) HRCT interpretation Radiologic signs Cardiovascular Aortic unfolding Dense artery sign Halo sign Respiratory Air crescent sign Deep sulcus sign Golden S sign Hampton hump Kerley lines Peribronchial cuffing Sail sign of the chest Silhouette sign Steeple sign Thumbprint sign Traction bronchiectasis Tree - in - bud sign Westermark sign Urogenital Canga 's bead symptom Musculoskeletal Crescent sign Fabella sign Fat pad sign Osteopathia striata Sail sign of the elbow Gastrointestinal Cupola sign Double bubble Endoexoenteric Football sign Hampton 's line Hot quadrate sign Mumoli 's sign Omental cake Pneumatosis intestinalis Rigler 's sign Sentinel loop Neurological Hot cross buns Hyperdense middle cerebral artery Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tree-in-bud_sign&oldid=778028200 '' Categories : Radiologic signs Respiratory system imaging Talk About Wikipedia Italiano Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 30 April 2017, at 18 : 54. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: tree in a bud appearance in ct scan
Answer: indicates some degree of airway obstruction