High-resolution computed tomography features of smoking-related interstitial lung disease

The smoking-related interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) comprise several diseases that often coexist. In this review, the high-resolution computed tomography (CT) features and pathologic correlates of the traditional smoking-related ILDs (respiratory bronchiolitis-associated ILD, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, and pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis) and those ILDs with less clearly defined relationships to smoking are described. The degree to which these entities coexist and overlap is explored on high-resolution CT scans. Emerging evidence about the link between smoking and lung fibrosis (from lung cancer-screening trials with CT), and smoking as a factor in ageing of the lung, is also discussed.