High-resolution computed tomography in the diagnosis of diffuse lung disease: a clinical perspective

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has a central role in the routine detection and diagnosis of individual diffuse lung diseases. The widespread use of HRCT has been stimulated by numerous published series, which have evaluated the accuracy of HRCT in cohorts of patients. However, these series have not simulated the integration of HRCT into clinical diagnosis, and this has led to difficulties in achieving the optimal diagnostic use of HRCT in routine practice. This article summarizes the problems facing the clinician in applying HRCT series to diagnosis in individual patients. The flaws in published series are discussed and the importance of integrating HRCT data with baseline clinical information and, in selected cases, histopathologic findings is highlighted.