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Purpose of the Conference

CEO, Alpha-1 and COPD Foundations

Adam Wanner

Scientific Director, Alpha-1 Foundation

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by abnormal lung function and structure. While pulmonary function testing, especially spirometry, has evolved as a reliable method to noninvasively gauge the severity and progression of lung function impairment in COPD, a similar assessment of the anatomical changes associated with COPD has not been possible until the advent of quantitative computed chest tomography (chest CT). During the past few years, considerable progress has been made in the technical and methodological aspects of quantitative chest CT in COPD, and this has given rise to a growing number of clinical studies that incorporate this technique into their protocols to establish genotype–phenotype relationships, to follow the natural course of COPD, and to assess the effects of therapeutic interventions on the progression of COPD.

In contrast to spirometry, quantitative chest CT has not been fully standardized, and thus far there has been no consensus on the best way to quantitate the airway and parenchymal lesions characteristic of COPD. This workshop was convened to summarize the state of the art for quantitative chest CT in COPD research by assembling experts in this field of investigation, to find agreement on some aspects of quantitative chest CT, and to identify aspects of this methodology that need to be clarified in the future.

In addition to investigators with interest and expertise in quantitative chest CT for COPD research, other stakeholders including industry, government regulatory and research funding agencies, clinicians, and patient interest organizations were also represented at the conference. Under the skillful leadership of Harvey Coxson, the meeting chair, and his co-chairs Stephen Rennard, John Newell, and Jan Stolk, the scientific presentations and lively discussions met the stated objective of the conference by highlighting the scientific foundation of quantitative chest CT and delineating its utility in COPD research.

The Alpha-1 Foundation and COPD Foundation had the privilege of hosting the conference, the tenth in the Gordon L. Snider Critical Issues Workshop Series, recognizing the importance of establishing the role of quantitative chest CT at a time when several ongoing multicenter research studies have already incorporated this methodology into their protocols. We hope that the papers included in this symposium will assist the research community in its efforts to standardize quantitative chest CT in COPD research and ultimately benefit patients suffering from this condition.

FOOTNOTES

Conflict of Interest Statement: J.W.W. does not have a financial relationship with a commercial entity that has an interest in the subject of this manuscript. A.W. has received grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, the sponsor of the Transatlantic Airway Conference.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Walsh, J. W. Articles by Wanner, A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Walsh, J. W. Articles by Wanner, A.