The diagnosis and management of diffuse lung disease (DLD) remain problematic for clinicians, including pulmonologists. Although specific patterns seen in a patient may lead quickly to a diagnosis, many patients present with a constellation of features that is more complex. This book is a practical aid to the physician faced with making a difficult diagnoses in their own clinical setting. It opens with an introductory section covering general considerations - patient evaluation, including history and clinical signs, investigations, DLD classification according to the current guidelines, and therapeutic options. This is followed by a section devoted to specific DLDs, including sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, occupational and iatrogenic DLDs, and other less common disorders. Within each topic, internationally renowned authors with specific expertise in the area have covered genetic aspects and epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis and clinical management. Coverage concludes with a section of case histories to illustrate differing approaches to diagnosis and management, a feature unique to this text and emphasizing its clinical applicability. The text is supported and enhanced throughout with line diagrams, management algorithms, and high quality clinical photographs. Diffuse Lung Disease will be an invaluable addition to the bookshelves of all respiratory physicians in training and in practice requiring a concise clinical guide to this important and complex field, while other clinicians who are asked occasionally to manage these patients will also find it a useful reference.

Table of Contents:
Part 1: General considerations 1. Clinical issues: patient evaluation 2. Radiological evaluation 3. Pathology 4. Bronchoalveolar lavage 5. Classification and evaluation 6. Therapy A. General issues B. The role of experimental therapies in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Part 2: Specific diseases 7. Sarcoidosis 8. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis 9. Non-specific interstitial pneumonitis 10. Collagen vascular disease and associated complications 11. Pulmonary vasculitis 12. Less common diseases 13. Bronchiolitis 14. Occupational and drug-induced diffuse lung diseases 15. Illustrative case histories with commentaries A. Case 1: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis B. Case 2: Sarcoidosis with skin lesions C. Case 3: Churg-Strauss syndrome D. Case 4: Scleroderma with associated pulmonary fibrosis E. Case 5: Primary Sjögren’s with a monoclonal cell population F. Case 6: Sarcoidosis with hypercalcemia and granuloma G. Case 7: Giant cell interstitial pneumonitis caused by cobalt exposure H. Case 8: Respiratory involvement in inflammatory bowel disease I. Case 9: Chronic beryllium disease J. Case 10: Pulmonary arterio-venous malformation causing gas exchange abnormalities K. Case 11: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis