Pulmonology · ILD pathology, histologic patterns, clinical presentations, occupational exposures, and disease-specific management
By completing this question set, you will be able to classify restrictive lung disease as parenchymal (ILD — ↓DLCO) or extrapulmonary (chest wall/neuromuscular — normal DLCO) and explain the pathophysiologic basis for each. You will distinguish IPF/UIP from other ILDs by its defining histologic features (temporal and spatial heterogeneity, fibroblastic foci, honeycombing) and its uniquely poor prognosis and steroid unresponsiveness. You will recognize sarcoidosis from non-caseating granulomas, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, and CXR staging, and distinguish it from TB (caseating) and berylliosis (occupational history). You will map pneumoconioses to their occupational exposures, lobe distributions, histologic findings, and cancer/TB associations. You will identify hypersensitivity pneumonitis from antigen exposure history and distinguish acute from chronic forms. You will recognize drug-induced ILD patterns from medication history. You will differentiate NSIP from IPF and identify COP as a steroid-responsive mimic of pneumonia.