Question 1

interstitial lung disease. what is this?

Accepted Answer

Connective tissue: The lung has interstital tissue which connects and hold the lungs together like a net.  The bronchial tubes connect to the air sacs.  Oxygen must pass through the bronchial tubes, air sacs and   interstitium to oxygenate the blood. In ild the  insterstitum becomes inflamed and scarred due to inhaled substances, drugs, arthritis, infection, cancer, or unknown  -- can lead to decreased oxygen level.

Question 2

is pneumonia a form of interstitial lung disease?

Accepted Answer

No: Bacterial pneumonia is not generally considered interstitial lung disease.  However, some forms of interstitial lung disease are referred to as iip or idiopathic interstitial pneumonia.  These diseases are not pneumonia in the classic sense.  They are not thought to be infectious in etiology.

Question 3

what makes pneumonia not an interstitial lung disease?

Accepted Answer

They are different: A pneumonia is caused by an organism causing destruction of the lung tissue.  Interstitial lung disease is inflammation of the lung and usually starts in the "interstitium" but later can involve other parts of the lung.  But, one is felt to be an infection, while the other is more"immune" caused.
The picture is of a pneumonia in the left of the picture(all the white area compared to the dark).

Question 4

what is the progression of  interstitial lung disease ?

Accepted Answer

Treat cause: Interstitial lung disease (ild) has many possible causes and some do not progress. For example inhaled substances, drugs, arthritis, and  infectious causes can often be treated if the offending agent is identified, exposure is stopped and appropriate treatment started. Autoimmune disease causes can be treated.  Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cancer, or unknown causes may progress more rapidly.

Question 5

are there any known ways to treat interstial lung disease?

Accepted Answer

Depends on cause: Since interstitial lung disease is a broad group of lung diseases with many different causes, the treatment depends on the underlying cause. In most cases, treating the cause, preventing further lung damage, & providing support to lungs goes a long way in helping patients with ild. However as ild progresses some patients will need lung transplant. Talk to a pulmonologist for treatment options.

Question 6

is interstitial lung disease an allergic or immune problem?

Accepted Answer

Both and others: Interstital lung disease refers to the supporting structures, tissues and cells supporting the alveoli of the lung.  When this is inflammed or scarred the thickening reduces oxygen-co2 exchange.  There are many possible causes for ild and the two you listed are possible causes.

Question 7

hi doctors, can you tell me what is interstitial lung disease?

Accepted Answer

Interstitium: Is that area between the walls of the air sacs or alveoli. Oxygen diffuses from the air sacs to the blood vessels located in the interstitial area. Ild is the presence of inflammation in that area making the distance for diffusion of the oxygen farther for the traveling or flowing blood to pick up. If the inflammation causes scarring it is pulmonary fibrosis.

Question 8

please explain why is pneumonia not an interstitial lung disease?

Accepted Answer

Tissues involved: Interstitium is that area of the lung in between the blood vessels and the alveoli, more the connective tissue area. Pneumonia is an inflammation causing involvement of all tissues like the interstitial, the blood vessels and even the alveoli hence the whiteness seen or the infiltrate is dense and involves the whole area.

Question 9

what is the definition or description of: interstial lung disease?

Accepted Answer

Lung tissue disease: Ild is a group of diseases affecting the tissues of the lungs. This is a broad group that includes asbestosis, silicosis and other chemical assaults. If left untreated, ild can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, which is a restrictive disease that makes it difficult to take a full breath.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/interstitial_lung_disease.

Question 10

what does it mean to have interstitial lung disease? is it curable?

Accepted Answer

Many causes: Interstitial lung disease is a thickening of the skeleton structure that supports airsacs (alveoli) in the lungs.  There are many causes of interstitial lung disease (rheumatic illness, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, radiation damage, infection).  It is not possible to say whether the disease is curable because interstitial lung disease is an "umbrella" term that covers many diseases.

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Interstitial lung disease. what is this?

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Is pneumonia a form of interstitial lung disease?

A member asked:

What makes pneumonia not an interstitial lung disease?

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What is the progression of interstitial lung disease ?

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Are there any known ways to treat interstial lung disease?

A member asked:

Is interstitial lung disease an allergic or immune problem?

A member asked:

Hi doctors, can you tell me what is interstitial lung disease?

A member asked:

Please explain why is pneumonia not an interstitial lung disease?

A member asked:

What is the definition or description of: interstial lung disease?

A member asked:

What does it mean to have interstitial lung disease? is it curable?

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