Cystic fibrosis in images: the Bhalla scoring system for computed tomography in paediatric patients

To monitor the course of lung damage in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) using the different chest X-ray and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scoring systems that have been developed. The HRCT technique is more sensitive than chest radiography to evaluate the anatomy. However, in paediatric patients, the use of CT should be kept to a minimum, and guidelines for radiation protection and dose reduction should be applied. One of the most used classification systems for HRCT is the one proposed by Bhalla in 1991, which helps in the assessment of the severity and course of the disease in these patients depending on the different imaging findings. We present various examples of these criteria for HRCT, observed while reviewing a group of 48 paediatric patients.