[Experience acquired over a 4-year period with the Vichi method in the study of bronchopulmonary changes in cystic fibrosis].

The classification of chest alterations in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and related score proposed by Chrispin and Norman has been widely adopted in Europe and is still applied (although slightly modified) in most European Centres. Brasfield classification instead has been mostly used in the USA. Lately, however, to revise both classifications, the need has been felt, for a more precise correlation to anatomo-radiological data as well as for inclusion of headings which have not been taken into account so far. In 1980 one of the Authors (Vichi) worked out a new scoring system for the chest alterations of CF. Results are reported from a follow-up of 15 patients with CF carried out at the FC Centre of Meyer Ospedale in Florence from the late 1981 to 1985. The patients underwent periodic checkings including determination of clinical scoring system-according to Shwachman and Kulczychi modified by Doershuk-respiratory function tests, chest X-rays evaluated by three radiologists separately, following both Chrispin and Norman and Vichi scoring systems. The latter system has proved to be well correlated to clinical data and to the ordinary pulmonary function tests but it mainly presents a high observer reproducibility.