Menstrual cycle impacts lung structure measures derived from quantitative computed tomography

ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that qCT-derived measures from the lung are impacted by the female menstrual cycle. This indicates studies seeking to use qCT as a more sensitive measure of cross-sectional differences or longitudinal changes in these derived lung measurements should consider acquiring data at a consistent time in the menstrual cycle for pre-menopausal women and warrants further exploration.Key Points•Lung measurements from chest computed tomography are used in multicenter studies exploring lung disease progression and treatment response.•The menstrual cycle impacts lung structure measurements.•Cyclic variability should be considered when evaluating longitudinal change with CT in menstruating women.
Source: European Radiology - Category: Radiology Source Type: research