Abstract
Thirty-five cases of 6 collagen diseases were collected to study chest-roentgenological signs as comparing with autopsy findings during the period of thirteen years from 1958 through 1970 in Sagamihara National Hospital. They are consisted of 19 cases of systemic lupus erythematodes including 6 autopsies, 3 autopsy cases of polyarteritis nodosa, 8 cases of systemic scleroderma including 3 autopsies, an autopsy case of rheumatic fever, 2 autopsy cases of rheumatoid arthritis, and 2 autopsy cases of Wegener's granulomatosis.
Conclusions obtained were as follows;
(1) Some abnormal roentgenological findings were noted in 32 of 35 cases examined; Abnormalities interpreted as pneumonitis in 25, cardiac enlargement in 21 and pleural effusion in 22 cases.
(2) Abnormal shadows were found in 17 of 19 systemic lupus erythematodes; abnormalities interpreted as pneumonitis in 12, pleural effusion in 11 and pericarditis in 12 cases.
(3) Abnormalities were found in 2 of 3 polyarteritis nodosa; hilar vascular prominence in 2, single or multiple nodules in 2, cardiac enlargement in 2 and butterfly-shaped shadow in a case.
(4) All cases of 8 systemic scleroderma had some abnormalities in chest roentgenograms; pulmonary fibrosis in 7, ring-like appearance in 6 and cardiac enlargment in 4 cases.
(5) Peumonitis, cardiac enlargement and pulmonary edema were demonstrated in a case of rheumatic fever.
(6) Both of two cases of rheumatoid arthritis had abnormal shadows; pneumonitis, pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac enlargement in both cases.
(7) A large mass with cavitation was demonstrated in a case of Wegener's granulomatosis, and multiple nodular shadows of various size were present in another case, and in both cases perivasculitis and bronchopneumonia were found.
(8) Non-specific bacterial bronchopneumonia was found in 11 of 35 various collagen diseases.
(9) The combinations of the above various roentgenological signs might be able to play an important role in differentiation of each collagen diseases
