Incomplete pulmonary fissures evaluated by volumetric thin-section CT: Semi-quantitative evaluation for small fissure gaps identification, description of prevalence and severity of fissural defects

A substantial agreement between readers was found in the analysis of interlobar fissures integrity. The semi-quantitative method allowed a detailed description of the fissural defects, information that can be important, for example, in endoscopic lung volume reduction therapies for emphysema. Small fissure gaps, overlooked in previous studies, were found in almost a third of the patients. A higher than previously described prevalence of fissural defects was described, but without significant differences among the distinct functional groups.