Interstitial lung disease: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Interstitial lung disease

Also written as: ILD, diffuse parenchymal lung disease, interstitial changes

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of conditions that inflame or scar the thin tissue around the lung's air sacs.

Seen on: CT

How it reads in a report

Subpleural, basal-predominant reticulation with traction bronchiectasis, consistent with fibrotic interstitial lung disease.

What it means

The interstitium is the thin, lace-like tissue that supports the air sacs and carries tiny blood vessels. In interstitial lung disease, this tissue becomes inflamed, thickened or scarred. Oxygen then passes into the blood less easily. On a detailed CT (HRCT), reports may mention reticulation, a fine net of lines. Honeycombing means clusters of small air-filled cysts from advanced scarring. Ground-glass opacity and traction bronchiectasis are other common words.

When it matters

There are many types. Some are linked to dust or mold exposure, autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, or certain medicines, and some have no known cause. The CT pattern helps narrow the type, and a lung specialist usually reviews it with breathing tests and blood tests. Mild changes found by chance are often watched with later scans. Some fibrotic forms progress, and treatments exist that can slow them.

Questions to ask your doctor

Which pattern does the CT show, and what type of ILD could it point to?
Could my work, hobbies, medicines or a joint condition be related?
Should I see a lung specialist and have breathing tests?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.