Microscopic Small Airway Abnormalities Identified in Early Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo Using Endobronchial Optical Coherence Tomography

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) affects the subpleural lung but is considered to spare small airways. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) studies demonstrated small airway reduction in end-stage IPF explanted lungs, raising questions about small airway involvement in early-stage disease. Endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT) is a volumetric imaging modality that detects microscopic features from subpleural to proximal airways.