Airway Quantification UsingUltra-Low-Dose Computed TomographyCorrelates With Pulmonary FunctionIndices in Patients With Asthma

This prospective cohort study evaluated ultra-low-dose computed tomography (ULDCT) as a tool for quantifying airway and parenchymal abnormalities in 24 patients with asthma. Quantitative indices—including the percentage of low-attenuation area (LAA%) for emphysema, parametric response mapping for functional small airway disease (PRM^fSAD), and Pi10 for airway thickening—were assessed against spirometric parameters at baseline and 1-year follow-up. All CT scans were processed using AVIEW COPD (Coreline Soft, Seoul, Korea) for automated segmentation. PRM^fSAD demonstrated the strongest and most consistent associations with FEV1 %pred, FEF25-75% %pred, and FEV1/FVC ratio. LAA% correlated mainly with FEV1/FVC, while Pi10 showed significant association only with FEF25-75% %pred in the multivariable model. Despite dose-related variability in raw values, correlations with lung function parameters remained stable over time, suggesting that ULDCT-derived indices—particularly PRM^fSAD—serve as practical low-radiation biomarkers for lung function assessment in asthma.