Dear readers,
Fibrosing lung diseases are characterized by a large variety of clinical and imaging manifestations as well as etiological causes: it has been recently recognized, for instance, that pulmonary fibrosis may develop as a long-term respiratory sequela of severe COVID-19. CT (particularly high-resolution CT) is the gold standard imaging technique used for the initial diagnosis and follow-up of the condition, and the diagnostic discrimination of the different forms of fibrosing lung disease is based on the identification of specific CT patterns. An accurate and early diagnosis is crucial for optimal patient management since a proportion of patients may develop a progressive fibrosing phenotype and complications.
In this Newsletter, Prof. Prosch, from the Medical University of Vienna, provides us with an overview of the CT findings and abnormalities related to each of the main fibrosing lung disorders, while also emphasizing the need for a close and constant collaboration between radiologists and clinicians. During his talk, he is supported by the original contributions of dynamic infographics highlighting his key messages and concepts.
The two scientific papers included in the “Selected literature” section are dedicated to the updated classification of fibrosing lung diseases and to the CT features predicting a progressive course and worsening of one of the main forms of the condition.
Finally, we repropose a clinical case from the mdct.net archive focusing on the very challenging differential diagnosis of fibrosing lung diseases.
As usual, suggestions for topics to be covered in future issues of this newsletter are welcome:
please send your proposals to us at
editorial@mdct.net.
From the mdct.net team
