Open AccessIdiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: The Importance of Qualitative and Quantitative Phenotyping
Author(s) -
Flaherty K. R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
imaging decisions mri
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1617-0830
pISSN - 1433-3317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1617-0830.2009.01127.x
Subject(s) - medicine , idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis , high resolution computed tomography , radiology , lung , lung biopsy , radiography , interstitial lung disease , pulmonary fibrosis , biopsy , computed tomography
Summary During the past decade, imaging has become of paramount importance in the diagnosis of patients with interstitial lung disorders. In addition, the quantification of radiographic features at the time of diagnosis gives important prognostic information and changes in these features over time may prove to be useful outcome variables in the study of new treatments and monitoring of patients’ response to therapy. In this chapter, we review the classification of interstitial lung diseases focusing on the role of high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT), particularly as it pertains to the need for obtaining a surgical lung biopsy. We also discuss the role of baseline and longitudinal semi‐quantitative and quantitative measurement of HRCT features in assessment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).