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Advances in CT and MRI for the assessment of progressive pulmonary fibrosis
WEI Bo  WANG Xiaodong  HAN Bo  YIN Wenjing  ZHANG Hao 

Cite this article as WEI B, WANG X D, HAN B, et al. Advances in CT and MRI for the assessment of progressive pulmonary fibrosis[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(8): 184-189. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.08.021.


[Abstract] Interstitial lung disease (ILD) encompasses a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by diverse patterns of evolution and markedly variable prognoses. Compared to patients experiencing spontaneous resolution or disease stabilization, those with progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) face a significantly poorer prognosis and elevated mortality risk. Consequently, early diagnosis and risk stratification in PPF have emerged as critical unmet clinical needs. Imaging plays an integral role throughout the entire disease trajectory of PPF, contributing substantially to disease screening, longitudinal monitoring, and prognostic assessment. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) remains the cornerstone of PPF diagnosis and management, and CT technology continues to undergo iterative advancements. However, X-ray-based imaging modalities, including photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT), are associated with inherent risks of ionizing radiation exposure. In recent years, the rapid evolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has enabled parenchymal lung imaging, offering a multi-dimensional perspective for the radiation-free assessment of PPF. This article reviews the research progress of HRCT and MRI in the evaluation of PPF, and discusses current technical limitations and future directions, with the aim of facilitating early diagnosis, tracking disease progression, and guiding clinical management.
[Keywords] progressive pulmonary fibrosis；interstitial lung disease；high-resolution computed tomography；magnetic resonance imaging

WEI Bo1, 2   WANG Xiaodong1, 2   HAN Bo1, 2   YIN Wenjing1, 2   ZHANG Hao1, 2*  

1 The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

2 Intelligent Imaging Medical Engineering Research, Department of Radiology, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

Corresponding author: ZHANG H, E-mail: zhanghao@lzu.edu.cn

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2026-04-21
Accepted  2026-07-12
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.08.021
Cite this article as WEI B, WANG X D, HAN B, et al. Advances in CT and MRI for the assessment of progressive pulmonary fibrosis[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(8): 184-189. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.08.021.

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