[Imaging findings in interstitial lung disease]

Imaging is an essential step in the management of patients with interstitial lung disease, contributing to detection, diagnosis, evaluation of pulmonary damage and prognosis, surveillance, and screening for complications. The chest x-ray is the fundamental examination. High-resolution computed tomography is often useful, particularly for severe forms and for cases of difficult diagnosis. It should not however be used as a routine examination for the initial work-up nor repeated systematically. Computed tomography is more contributory to the diagnosis of subacute or chronic interstitial pneumonia than for acute forms. We present here the different imaging methods, the role of imaging in chronic and acute interstitial pneumonia, and discuss the main computed tomographic signs of chronic interstitial lung disease.