We can conclude that the AMFM detects parenchymal patterns in the lungs of smokers which are different from normal patterns occurring in healthy non-smokers. These patterns could perhaps indicate early smoking-related changes. While all our previous studies involved CT images of subjects with well characterized disease, this study seeks to evaluate early parenchymal pathology associated with smoking. This is a challenge because early changes are subtle making them difficult to detect.
Smoking is one of the main causes of debilitating diseases such as emphysema.
The onset of emphysema starts early but it presents itself clinically at a stage when it is incurable and care is largely supportive. In recent years, lung volume reduction surgery has become a viable intervention for end-stage emphysema subjects. However, patient selection criteria are poorly defined and, more importantly, sensitive measures for outcome evaluation are lacking. Therefore, the motivation for this study is to identify a means of detecting changes caused by smoking before clinical symptoms appear. This can then be used either to advise the patient to adopt lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation or to determine the outcome of therapeutic interventions.