The diagnosis and management of diffuse lung disease (DLD) remain problematic for clinicians, including pulmonologists. Although specific patterns seen in a patient may lead quickly to a diagnosis, many patients present with a constellation of features that is more complex.
This book is a practical aid to the physician faced with making difficult diagnoses in their own clinical setting. It opens with an introductory section covering general considerations - patient evaluation, including history and clinical signs, investigations, DLD classification according to the current guidelines, and therapeutic options. This is followed by a section devoted to specific DLDs, including sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, occupational and iatrogenic DLDs, and other, less common, disorders. Within each topic, internationally renowned authors with specific expertise in the area have covered genetic aspects and epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis, and clinical management. Coverage concludes with a chapter of case histories to illustrate differing approaches to diagnosis and management, a feature unique to this text and emphasizing its clinical applicability. The text is supported and enhanced throughout with line diagrams, management algorithms, and high quality clinical photographs.
