Ct and Echocardiographic Correlation of Pulmonary Artery Enlargement and Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Copd Patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between CT-detected pulmonary artery enlargement and echocardiographic evidence of RV dysfunction in patients with COPD.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at multiple tertiary care hospital over 12 months from February 2025 to January 2026 and included 180 patients with spirometrically confirmed COPD. All patients underwent chest CT for measurement of pulmonary artery diameter and pulmonary artery-to-aorta (PA:A) ratio, along with transthoracic echocardiography for assessment of RV function. RV dysfunction was defined using standard echocardiographic parameters including TAPSE, RV fractional area change, and estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22 and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Pulmonary artery enlargement was observed in 45.6% of patients, while RV dysfunction was observed in 37.8%. Patients with enlarged pulmonary arteries had significantly higher PASP and lower TAPSE values compared to those with normal pulmonary artery size (p<0.001). A strong positive correlation was found between pulmonary artery diameter and PASP (r = 0.64), and a negative correlation with TAPSE (r = -0.52). CT-detected pulmonary artery enlargement was an independent predictor of RV dysfunction (p<0.001).

Conclusion: CT-detected pulmonary artery enlargement is significantly associated with echocardiographic RV dysfunction in COPD patients. CT may serve as a useful non-invasive marker for early detection of cardiopulmonary complications, allowing timely evaluation and management of high-risk patients.