A Case of Respiratory Bronchiolitis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease / 대한내과학회지

Respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD) is an inflammatory lung disorder associated with cigarette smoking. The clinical and radiographic findings of RB-ILD are nonspecific and most patients with RB-ILD are thought to have some form of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis prior to lung biopsy. Open lung biopsy of patients with RB-ILD reveals inflammation of the respiratory bronchioles, filling of the bronchiolar lumens and surrounding alveoli with finely pigmented macrophages, associated interstitial inflammation. Alveolar septa, particularly around terminal and membranous bronchioles, are mildly fibrotic. We recently experienced a case of RB-ILD proven by open lung biopsy.