pulmonary fibrosis
Variables
Immundefektsyndrom (CVID) mit rezidivierenden Pneumonien und zunehmender Fibrose der Lunge.
Pulmonary or interstitial fibrosis is a descriptive term given when there is an excess of fibrotic tissue in the lung. It can occur in a wide range of clinical settings and can be precipitated by a multitude of causes.
Terminology
The term should not be confused with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is a progressive fibrotic lung disease.
Pathology
Fibrosis in the lung is a process that occurs in the interstitium. Pulmonary fibrosis can be localized, segmental, lobar, or affect the entirety of the lung(s). Among the many conditions associated with pulmonary fibrosis are:
- significant acute insult to the lungs
- adult respiratory distress syndrome
- from a significant pulmonary infection
- diffuse alveolar damage from any source
- inhaled substances
- coal/silica: progressive massive fibrosis
- asbestos: asbestos-related pulmonary fibrosis
- radiation: radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis
- congenital conditions
- autoimmune conditions
- connective tissue disorders
- granulomatous conditions
- sarcoidosis: pulmonary manifestations of sarcoidosis
- tuberculosis: pulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis
- granulomatosis with polyangiitis: pulmonary manifestations of granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- others
- airway-centered interstitial fibrosis
- chronic conditions
- polymyalgia rheumatica (occasional case reports )
- medications: drug-induced lung disease
- combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema'
- aging
- some studies report thin-section CT findings associated with interstitial lung disease to some degree are frequently seen in "asymptomatic" elderly individuals
Radiographic features
CT
There are many features that can imply underlying pulmonary fibrosis, these include:
- honeycombing
- traction bronchiectasis
- lung architectural distortion
- reticulation
- interlobular septal thickening: this feature is not specific for fibrosis
See also
