Radiographic appearance of interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung disease has many forms, and its appearance can vary widely under radiographic imaging. This article reviews the anatomy and physiology of the lung, then describes the most common radiographic characteristics of ILD-the ground glass effect, consolidation, cysts, honey-combing, pulmonary nodules and interstitial thickening. Also included is a discussion of the advantages of using high-resolution computed tomography to image ILD.