1. Baseline CT emphysema predicted deaths from all causes, COPD, and CVD over 25 years.
2. Strongest effect was for COPD: severe emphysema carried a more than twelvefold higher risk.
3. A clear dose–response was seen for all-cause and COPD mortality, not for CVD.
4. Of 2,637 emphysema cases on CT, nearly 80% had no prior clinical diagnosis.
5. CVD risk weakened in competing-risk models, while COPD risk remained strong.
6. Limitations included subjective visual scoring, evolving CT methods, and unmeasured changes in smoking or comorbidities.

Source: Radiology