alveography

Alveography is a term used in respiratory medicine to refer to approaches that study the alveoli, the tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs in the lungs. In practice, the term is applied to methods that visualize, quantify, or model the structure and function of the alveolar compartment. Alveography can encompass imaging-based protocols aimed at depicting alveolar spaces and their relationship to surrounding airways and capillary networks, as well as functional assessments that infer alveolar ventilation and gas exchange efficiency.

Imaging-oriented alveography includes techniques that map or characterize alveolar morphology and the distribution of air within the lungs. Functional aspects focus on how well the alveoli participate in gas exchange and how alveolar mechanics respond to breathing and ventilation strategies. This can involve analyses of pressure-volume relationships, ventilation-perfusion distribution, and other measurements derived from imaging data, gas exchange tests, or during mechanical ventilation.

Applications of alveography include the assessment of diseases that affect the alveolar unit, such as emphysema and other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung diseases, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary edema, and alveolar proteinosis. It is also used in research to study alveolar recruitment, regional ventilation heterogeneity, and the effects of therapeutic interventions on the alveolar space.

History and scope: the term has appeared in medical literature with varying usage, and modern practice often integrates alveography concepts into broader pulmonary imaging and functional testing rather than treating it as a standalone test. Limitations include access to advanced imaging, interpretation variability, and radiation exposure in CT-based approaches.

See also: alveolus, pulmonary imaging, ventilation-perfusion imaging, spirometry, CT chest.