JudyC Sep 12, 2020:

band, line, linear, band-like My impression is that the terminlogy is not as standardised as we would like it to be, despite attempts made to standardise it (see Fleischner Society Glossary of Thoracic Imaging <http://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b87f/906280c9423c51a7a719883... also quoted by Gotway.

"Band-like" would strictly translate "bandiforme", which is also sometimes used, as in
"aspetti bandiformi subpleurici" later referred to as "aspetti lineari subpleurici" in the same text. <https://tinyurl.com/y4z86quc> There are many other examples on HRCT in COVID-19.

Intuitively I would have thought a "band" to be slightly thicker than a "line", but this doesn't seem to be the case as Fleischner Society defines both a "band" and a "line" as being 1-3mm thick, and Gotway has 2-5mm for a "band" and "less than 10mm" for a "line"!

So I think that to translate this term we have to go by what we have:
- it's a linear opacity (more than a "thickening"), and a "linear opacity" can just be called a "line" or a "band"
- it's millimetric (band or line)
- it's subpleural (runs parallel to the pleura)

Sorry to be going on and on about this one, but it got me a bit "intrippata" as they say !

Joseph Tein Sep 11, 2020:

bandlike In my glossary I have an entry where "a stria" is translated as "bandlike." Just in case it helps.

JudyC Sep 11, 2020:

cnt'd: Essentials of Thoracic Imaging (Gotway) Subpleural lines. A subpleural line is a curvilinear opacity measuring less than 10 mm in thickness that parallels the pleura (Fig. 16). Subpleural lines are nonspecific, and usually represent atelectasis, fibrosis, or inflammation. Subpleural lines were first
described in patients with asbestosis, and are seen more commonly in this disease than other fibrotic lung diseases, but they are not excusive to patients with asbestosis.

See also:
https://radiopaedia.org/articles/pulmonary-parenchymal-bands
https://radiopaedia.org/articles/subpleural-line?lang=us

JudyC Sep 11, 2020:

from: Essentials of Thoracic Imaging (Gotway) 1. HRCT scan findings may be broadly classified into findings of increased lung opacity (Table 2) and decreased lung opacity. [..]
HRCT scan findings manifesting as increased lung opacity may be further subclassified into nodular abnormalities, linear abnormalities, reticular abnormalities, ground-glass opacity, and consolidation. [..]
Linear abnormalities
A number of linear abnormalities may be evident on HRCT scans of the thorax, including interlobular septal thickening, parenchymal bands, subpleural lines, and irregular linear opacities. Among these linear findings on HRCT, interlobular septal thickening is the most diagnostically useful. [..]
Parenchymal bands. A ‘‘parenchymal band’’ refers to a nontapering linear or reticular opacity ranging from 2 to 5 cm in length, usually perpendicular to and in contact with the pleural surfaces. Parenchymal bands vary in thickness from one to several millimeters and are most commonly encountered in patients with atelectasis or fibrosing lung diseases. [..] Parenchymal bands occur frequently in patients with asbestos exposure [13], although they may be encountered in a variety of fibrotic lung processes and are ultimately nonspecific.

Fiona Grace Peterson (asker) Sep 9, 2020:

Thanks everyone But this term has me extremely confused, and I'm really no closer to undestanding the best translation. There seem to be a number of similar terms but with very different clinical meanings. As far as I'm aware, this finding is related to atelectasis.