Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is an idiopathic disorder characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas, often found in relation to lymphatics, and involving many organs. It typically presents in patients less than 50…
Complications of Medical Treatment:Drug-Induced Lung Disease and Radiation
DRUG-INDUCED LUNG DISEASE Drug-induced lung disease is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. The most common categories of drugs that result in lung disease include chemotherapeutic agents, cardiac medications, and antibiotics. Drug-induced…
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis and Eosinophilic Lung Disease
HYPERSENSITIVITY PNEUMONITIS Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) represents an immune reaction to inhaled organic antigens. The possible sources of these antigens are diverse and include microbes, animals, plant material, and various chemicals….
Pneumoconioses
The incidence of pneumoconioses is decreasing in relation to other diffuse lung diseases, because of a greater emphasis on prevention in high-risk occupations. Because they often have HRCT findings that…
Pulmonary Vascular Diseases
Vascular diseases of the lung may affect arteries, veins, and/or capillaries. They are primarily evaluated using modalities such as echocardiography, contrast-enhanced CT, or conventional angiography, but in selected cases, HRCT…
Connective Tissue Diseases
Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) may be associated with a variety of lung abnormalities. Most patients with CTD have extra-pulmonary manifestations but in some cases, lung abnormalities are seen in isolation…
Rare Diseases
PULMONARY ALVEOLAR PROTEINOSIS Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare disorder characterized pathologically by the accumulation of lipoprotein within alveoli. There are three different forms of the disease. Congenital PAP…
Decreased Lung Attenuation: Emphysema, Mosaic Perfusion, and Cystic Lung Disease
Focal or regional areas of decreased lung attenuation (i.e., increased lung lucency) can have a variety of causes and HRCT appearances. These include lung destruction due to emphysema, decreased lung…
Smoking-Related Lung Disease
Cigarette smoking is well known for its association with lung cancer, but diffuse lung disease is also an established cause of smoking-related morbidity. There are a variety of different manifestations…
Pulmonary Edema, Diffuse Alveolar Damage, the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and Pulmonary Hemorrhage
PULMONARY EDEMA Fluid accumulation in the lungs may be the result of changes in pulmonary venous hydrostatic pressure, increased permeability of capillary endothelium, or a combination of these two. The…
