What are interstitial lung diseases?
Interstitial lung disease, or ILD, is a common term that includes more than 200 chronic lung disorders, which may be: • chronic • nonmalignant (non-cancerous) • noninfectiousInterstitial lung diseases are named after the tissue between the air sacs of the lungs called the interstitium – the tissue affected by fibrosis (scarring).Interstitial lung diseases may also be called interstitial pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary fibrosis.The symptoms and course of these diseases may vary from person to person, but the common link between the many forms of ILD is that they all begin with an inflammation. • bronchiolitis-inflammation that involves the bronchioles (small airways) • alveolitis-inflammation that involves the alveoli (air sacs) • vasculitis-inflammation that involves the small blood vessels (capillaries)Most interstitial lung diseases are diagnosed as pneumoconiosis, a drug-induced disease, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
