Discussion
Diagnosis With Brief Discussion
- Diagnosis
- Desqumative interstitial pneumonia
- Radiologic Findings
- Fig 1. Chest PA shows bilateral reticular opacities and suspicious ground-glass opacity in both lower lung fields.
Fig 2-6. CT scans shows bilateral ground glass attenuation in peripheral lower lobe dominant distribution. Diffuse paraseptal emphysema in both lungs.
VATS biopsy specimen of the patient shows accumulation of intra-alveolar macrophages within the alveolar air spaces with mild interstitial inflammation, suggestive of DIP.
- Brief Review
- DIP is an uncommon form of interstitial pneumonia that occurs frequently in patients between 30 and 50 years of age. Approximately 90% of patients with DIP are cigarette smokers. Most cases of DIP are currently considered to represent a reaction to cigarette smoke. The DIP is characterized histologically by the presence of numerous macrophages within alveolar airspaces. Unlike usual interstitial pneumonia, DIP involvement is typically more or less uniform in severity within affected lobules. Interstitial inflammation and fibrosis are usually mild but may be moderate or rarely severe. Similarly, architectural distortions of lung parenchyma and traction bronchiectasis are uncommon features.
The most common radiographic appearance of DIP is bilateral basal hazy increased opacification with a reduction in lung volumes. However, the radiographs are normal in about 5% to 20% of patients who have biopsy-proven DIP. The predominant HRCT abnormality is also bilateral area of ground-glass attenuation, reflecting the filling of alveolar airspaces by macrophages. A subpleural and basal predominance is often present. Although reticular opacity may be associated with ground-glass attenuation, honeycombing is uncommon. Of cases, 32%-75% develop small cystic airspaces within areas of ground-glass attenuation. Histopathologic correlation suggests that some of these cysts represent bronchioliectasis and dilated alveolar ducts, without honeycomb fibrosis. Because of its association with cigarette smoking, centrilobular emphysema is also common present. Spontaneous improvement may occur in untreated patients. The response to corticosteroid is unclear; however, most patients report a symptomatic improvement.
- References
- 1. Akira M, Yamamoto S, Hara H, Sakatani M, Ueda E: Serial computed tomographic evaluation in desquamative interstitial pneumonia. Thorax 1997; 52(4):333-337
2. Hartman TE, Primack SL, Kang EY, Swensen SJ, Hansell DM, McGuinness G, Muller NL: Disease progression in usual interstitial pneumonia compared with desquamative interstitial pneumonia. Assessment with serial CT. Chest 1996; 110(2):378-382
3. Hartman TE, Primack SL, Swensen SJ, Hansell D, McGuinness G, Muller NL: Desquamative interstitial pneumonia: thin-section CT findings in 22 patients. Radiology 1993; 187(3):787-790
4. Anil K. Attili, Ella A. Kazerooni, Barry H. Gross, et al. Smoking-related Interstitial Lung Disease: Radiologic-Clinical-Pathologic Correlation. Radiographics 2008; 28:1383-1396
- Please refer to
- Case 4 Case 266 Case 615 Case 620 Case 840
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- Keywords
- Lung, Desquamative interstitial pneumonia,