High-resolution computed tomography findings of hypersensitivity pneumonitis / 中国实用内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis(HP) is a diffuse granulomatous interstitial lung disease caused by the inhalation of specific organic antigens or low molecular weight substances in genetically susceptible individuals. In general, HP is difficult to diagnose because of its nonspecific clinical manifestations as well as imaging and histological features similar to other interstitial lung diseases. HP is divided into three phases, while the imaging performance between the three phases overlaps. As a key means of differential diagnosis between chronic HP and ILD, high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT) is the most sensitive test for HP, especially in case where clinical lung biopsy is not available. This article reviews the essential features of HP with emphasis on imaging features, mainly to classify and summarize HP's various imaging performances, hoping to provide early diagnosis leads for the clinic.