Significance of an Accurate Diagnosis

An accurate diagnosis of DPLD is important to the management of patients. Prognosis, attention to extrapulmonary manifestations and comorbidities, choice of medication, and consideration for lung transplantation all depend on the 

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia Desquamative interstitial pneumonia Respiratory bronchioUtis-associated interstitial lung disease Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia Acnte interstitial pnemnonia 

Connective tissne-associated DPLD Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic sclerosis Systemic lupus erythematosus Polymyositis/dennatomyositis Mised coimective tissue disease Undifferentiated connective tissue disease 

Sjogren s syndrome Behcet s syndrome Ankylosing spondylitis 

Selected exposures siUca, asbestos, hard metals, coal, berylliuni, aluminum Hypersensitivity pnenmonitis Selected exposures animal proteins (pigeons, parakeets, budgerigars, chickens, rats), fungi and bacteria (numerous), chemicals (isocyanates, pesticides) 

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