Raghu et al reported an algorithm for diagnosing a patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
Patient selection: unexplained dyspnea on exertion and/or cough, with evidence of interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Parameters:
(1) identifiable causes for interstitial lung disease
(2) high resolution lung CT scan (HRCT)
(3) surgical lung biopsy
|
Identifiable Cause
|
HRCT
|
Lung Biopsy
|
Diagnosis
|
|
present
|
NA
|
NA
|
not IPF
|
|
absent
|
UIP
|
NA
|
IPF
|
|
absent
|
UIP possible or inconsistent
|
not UIP
|
not IPF
|
|
absent
|
UIP possible or inconsistent
|
other
|
evaluate at multi-disciplinary conference
|
