Diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) represents a large and heterogeneous group of disorders. Although new insights into the pathogenesis and new techniques such as high-resolution-CT have led to a better understanding of DPLD, clinical management remains a challenge.

This volume is designed to become a valuable aid in the diagnosis and management of DPLD. It starts with general topics such as a new classification system for DPLD, the general diagnostic approach, and clinical evaluation of the patient by radiology, histological patterns and bronchoalveolar lavage. This is followed by consideration of some basic aspects such as the genetics of DPLD, the principles of granuloma formation, pulmonary fibrogenesis and vasculitis, as well as novel treatment approaches. A large part of the book consists of disease-specific chapters, which discuss granulomatous disorders, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other entities of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, the collagen vascular diseases, drug-induced infiltrative lung disease as well as orphan diffuse lung diseases including Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, lymphangioleiomyomatosis and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

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