A bronchial pattern on radiographs indicates pathology involving the airways. It can be a subtle pattern to recognize, so
let's look at some of the features.
Normal bronchi
The airways are made of cartilage that is radiolucent, but they have some surrounding soft-tissue structures that can make
them visible. The bronchi are normally seen near the heart base, where the diameter is still quite large.
Image 1: Airways flanked by the pulmonary arteries and veins.
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You might see parallel thin walls with vessels on either side, or just see the airways flanked by the pulmonary arteries and
veins (Image 1). The bronchi are visible near the hilus, but the walls are thin and sharp and are not visible toward the periphery.
Mineralized bronchi
With age, many dogs develop mineralization of the airways and trachea. It is not a normal aging change in cats. Mineralized
bronchi are recognizable because of their mineral opacity and very thin, sharp borders. The bronchi are visible farther out
in the periphery than in a dog with no mineralization. But any increase in opacity is uniform and very opaque.
Bronchial pattern
Image 2: Bronchial walls thickened by inflammation are easier to see.
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In a true bronchial pattern that stems from infectious/inflammatory disease, the bronchial walls are thickened because of
inflammatory tissue and cells surrounding the airways. This makes them easier to see, especially in the periphery of the lung
(Image 2). The parallel lines you see are called tram tracks, and a bronchus visible end-on with thickened walls is called
a donut. It also can be described as a cygnet ring, because it tends to be of non-uniform thickness (Image 3). Additionally,
the bronchial walls are not as sharp or regular as normal or mineralized bronchi (Image 4). Chronic bronchial disease can
result in bronchiectasis, which is an irreversible dilation of the bronchi. They don't taper toward the periphery and can
be saccular in appearance.
Causes of bronchial patterns
Image 3: A bronchus viewed end-on with thickened walls is called a donut.
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Differential diagnoses for a bronchial pattern usually are inflammatory (chronic bronchitis, eosinophilic infiltrates, parasitic
infections, fungal or bacterial pneumonia). Pulmonary edema sometimes makes the bronchi look thickened, because the tissues
surrounding the airways fill with fluid. Identifying additional abnormalities can help you rank your differentials appropriately.
For example, a bronchial pattern and large perihilar lymph nodes would point toward fungal pneumonia.
Identifying abnormal bronchi
Image 4: Thickened bronchial walls are indistinct and visible in the periphery of the lung.
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Once you have ruled out normal large airways and benign bronchial mineralization as the cause for increased visibility of
bronchi, search for the hallmarks of the pattern. Bronchial thickening can be a subtle finding, especially in cats. Make sure
to look in the periphery for donuts, especially on the v/d or d/v projection where they show up better. Tram tracks often
are best seen overlying the diaphragm or heart, where the summation effect makes them more apparent (Image 2). A magnifying
glass can be helpful to search for small airways.
Dr. Zwingenberger is a veterinary radiologist at the University of California-Davis.
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