1. Longitudinal imaging after initial diagnosis
Longitudinal imaging after initial diagnosis. a) Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), early changes not detected by pulmonary function tests.
Longitudinal imaging after initial diagnosis. a) Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), early changes not detected by pulmonary function tests. In a patient with scleroderma and normal pulmonary function tests, prone high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) (left) demonstrates early ground glass opacity and reticulation. 1 year later, a repeat HRCT (right) shows worsening of the lung disease; however, this was not accompanied by a significant change in pulmonary function tests. b) NSIP, microscopic fibrosis. Baseline HRCT (left) in a patient with scleroderma shows subpleural ground glass opacity suggestive of cellular NSIP. A repeat HRCT (right) 1 year later after immunosupression shows no significant change. In this case, the ground glass opacity represented microscopic fibrosis that was irreversible.
Brett M. Elicker et al. Eur Respir Rev 2017;26:170008
©2017 by European Respiratory Society