Computed tomographic thoracic morphologic indices in normal subjects and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Comparison with spiral CT densitometry and pulmonary function tests

CT findings of the overexpansion of the lungs, such as increases in the vertical diameter of the lung and decreases in the transverse diameter of the heart, can be significant as indirect findings of early chronic obstructive diseases. However, despite the significant CT findings in male smokers, particularly those in their 40s, most lung function parameters were not decidedly abnormal.