General Information About Interstitial Lung Disease
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the loss of the spongy, elastic structure of the lungs as the supporting tissue (interstitium) surrounding the air sacs (alveoli) becomes inflamed and leaves scars (fibrosis).
Long-term exposure to occupational dusts like asbestos or silica, bird/poultry breeding, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, radiation treatments, and certain medications destroy this tissue.
It presents with a dry cough that slowly worsens over weeks or months, shortness of breath that increases while climbing stairs or walking, rapid fatigue, and in advanced stages, clubbing of the fingertips.
A stiffened (loss of elasticity) lung cannot expand sufficiently during inhalation and fails to provide oxygen passage to the blood. As the disease progresses, it leads to right heart failure (cor pulmonale) and respiratory failure.
It may not always be visible on a normal X-ray. The gold standard diagnostic method is High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) of the chest. Pulmonary Function Tests and Carbon Monoxide Diffusion (DLCO) tests are performed to measure the decline in lung capacity.
It is not possible to restore the stiff (fibrotic) tissue that has formed. The goal of treatment is to preserve the remaining healthy tissue. Cortisone is used to stop inflammation, and anti-fibrotic drugs are used to slow down lung scarring. In the final stage, a lung transplant may be necessary.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
