Interstitial Pneumonia

Diagnostic modalities such as chest X-rays provide static images of the thoracic cavity, including the lungs and airways. While providing a wealth of anatomical information necessary for the diagnosis of pulmonary disease, chest X-rays do not give much information about the individual's respiratory function. Pulmonary function tests are a group of diagnostic procedures yielding useful, quantifiable information about the rate of the flow of air through the individual's airways, lung capacity, and the efficiency of gas exchange in relation to time. The most commonly utilized tests include spirometry (before and after bronchodilator use), lung volumes, and quantitation of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (CO). The tests can be influenced by the individual's effort/fatigue, disease state, or anatomical malformation.

The most common complications include pneumonia, respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, cardiomyopathy, acute kidney injury (AKI), and pulmonary thromboembolism. Other complications include acute stroke, arrhythmias, acute cardiac injury, and dermatologic manifestations.

Pneumonia or pulmonary inflammation is an acute or chronic inflammation of lung tissue. Causes include infection with bacteria, viruses, or fungi. In more rare cases, pneumonia can also be caused through toxic triggers through inhalation of toxic substances, immunological processes, or in the course of radiotherapy.

COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus disease, is a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV 2). Transmission mainly occurs via direct contact or aerosol droplets. The disease may present asymptomatically or with fever and dry cough.

Pulmonary, or chest, imaging includes imaging of the lungs and surrounding structures in the thorax. Imaging of the chest represents a substantial portion of the imaging tests that are routinely performed. Common imaging methods include X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasonography (US). Each imaging method has advantages and disadvantages. Radiology exams, once completed, are read and interpreted by board-certified, fellowship-trained radiologists; however, most physicians should know the basics of how to interpret these images.