patterns

Last reviewed 01/2018

Patterns associated with COAD:

• centriacinar - tissue loss at the centre of the acinus, and greatest in the upper zones. Mild forms may occur in anthracosis, for example in coal miners, and have little or no functional effect. Destructive forms are usually seen in smokers.

• panacinar - tissue loss throughout the acinus, and greatest in the lung bases. Mild forms may occur with aging; severe forms are typified by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Patterns unusually associated with COAD:

• paraseptal - bullae occur on the lung fringes. They may rupture to cause a spontaneous pneumothorax.

• irregular - small, emphysematous foci related to scars, for example, underlying tuberculosis.