Interstitial Lung Disease

📖What is Interstitial Lung Disease?

Interstitial lung disease refers to a large group of disorders that cause progressive scarring, or fibrosis, of the tissue surrounding the lungs' air sacs, gradually stiffening the lungs and making it harder for oxygen to pass into the bloodstream. Many forms of the disease have no identifiable cause and are termed idiopathic, while others result from long-term exposure to environmental or occupational irritants, autoimmune conditions, or certain medications. The scarring process is typically irreversible, so the primary goal of treatment is to slow disease progression and preserve lung function rather than reverse existing damage. Symptoms often develop gradually over months to years, which can delay diagnosis until significant lung damage has already occurred. High-resolution CT scanning and, in some cases, lung biopsy are used to characterise the specific type of disease and guide treatment decisions.

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