Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a recessive hereditary rare disease in which the cilia on all mucous membranes of the body are misformed. Due to the resulting incorrect mobility, the self-cleaning of all mucous membranes, in particular of the lungs and paranasal sinuses, is restricted or even impossible. The mucus remains in the affected organs.

The disease affects in particular the upper and lower respiratory tract (nasal cavities, paranasal sinuses, bronchi, and ears and ear canal). In addition to chronic middle ear infections, which often impair hearing ability in the long term, affected persons very often suffer from  recurrent, severe infections of the respiratory tract from earliest childhood. Due to the multiple and non-specific symptoms of PCD, the diagnosis is difficult. About one third of cases are not recognized until adulthood.

At MHH, pulmonologists and radiologists are working together to develop new imaging techniques to improve the diagnosis of PCD. For their work in this field, the BREATH scientists Dr. Jessica Rademacher, Department of Pulmonology, and Dr. Sabine Dettmer, Department of Radiology, have now been awarded Manes Kartagener Award from the Kartagener Syndrome and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia e. V..

Founded in 1997 by PCD affiliates and family members, the association awards the Manes Kartagener Prize for outstanding research in the field of PCD at irregular intervals. The two BREATH scientists were able to convince the members of the Medical Advisory Board with their work on "Computed tomography in adult patients with primary ciliary dyskinesi: typical imaging findings". The prize was presented at the annual meeting of the German Society of Pneumology 2019 in Munich.

Text: BREATH / CD

Photo: DGP / Mike Auerbach, www.mike-auerbach.com