Investigation of pulmonary artery dilation in the population of Moscow using automated analysis of radiological examination results

INTRODUCTION: In modern clinical practice, the diagnosis establishment and monitoring of pulmonary arteries are important components of care for patients with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, in Russia, there remains a limited amount of epidemiological data on the prevalence of pulmonary artery dilation, especially at the population level.

This study aims to fill this gap by providing population-based data on the prevalence of pulmonary artery dilation in the city of Moscow. With the help of advanced artificial intelligence technologies, this work seeks to offer a comprehensive assessment of the pathology, covering both its main characteristics and the effects of various factors such as age and gender.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of pulmonary artery dilation in Moscow using the data from computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest analysed by means of an automatic artificial intelligence technology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved the analysis of a large volume of chest CT scans acquired from September 2022 to February 2023. The total study sample comprised 134,218 patients. Artificial intelligence technologies were applied for the automatic detection of signs of pulmonary artery dilation.

RESULTS: An analysis of 125,878 CT scans, including 57,913 men and 67,965 women, revealed that 34.4% of patients (43,242 individuals) showed signs of pulmonary artery dilation. Among them, the proportion of men with this pathology was 35.6% (20,630 individuals), while for women it was 33.3% (22,612 individuals). The prevalence of the pathology increased with age, starting at 14.8% among younger patients and reaching 62.7% among the elderly. The prevalence of pulmonary artery dilation among the population of Moscow was 794.7 cases per 100,000 people.

DISCUSSION: The results of this research allowed us to draw conclusions regarding the meaning of pulmonary artery dilation as a predictor of pulmonary hypertension. The results demonstrated a correlation between the frequency of pathology occurrence and gender and age groups, with a more pronounced association observed in women. Detailed analysis also revealed corellations of pulmonary artery diameter with age and gender.

CONCLUSION: The study provided the first population-based data on the prevalence of pulmonary artery dilation in Moscow. The importance of early diagnosis to prevent severe complications, especially in patients with chronic lung diseases, is emphasized. The study results can provide a basis for screening strategies and treatment approaches for this pathology.

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