Chest ACCP Member Benefits
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Free
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Article Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Leslie, K. O.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Leslie, K. O.
(Chest. 2005;128:513S-519S.)
© 2005 American College of Chest Physicians

Historical Perspective*

A Pathologic Approach to the Classification of Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias

Kevin O. Leslie, MD

* From the Department of Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.

Correspondence to: Kevin O. Leslie, MD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905; e-mail: leslie.kevin{at}mayo.edu

The idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) are a heterogeneous group of diffuse parenchymal diseases of unknown etiology. The pathologic classification of the IIPs has evolved considerably over the past 50 years and is based on the histopathologic pattern. A final, and clinically relevant, diagnosis often depends on integration of the histologic findings with the radiologic and clinical presentations. Specimens for histopathologic evaluation are best obtained by surgical wedge biopsy to allow the accurate recognition of the involvement patterns of these disorders. Two of the most common IIPs, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), differ with respect to prognosis. Patients with IPF have a poorer prognosis than those with NSIP and most other IIPs. Within the NSIP diagnosis, a fibrotic pattern seems to be associated with a worse outcome than a cellular pattern. By distinguishing IPF from other clinicopathologic entities, clinicians should be better able to identify optimal treatment strategies and hopefully to improve patient outcomes.

Key Words: classification • fibrosis • idiopathic interstitial pneumonias • idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis • inflammation • lung damage • nonspecific interstitial pneumonia • usual interstitial pneumonia






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2005 by the American College of Chest Physicians.