Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
CT-High Resolution, CT, Thorax, Respiratory system, Lung, Diagnostic procedure, Connective tissue disorders, Inflammation, Occupational / Environmental hazards
Authors:
A. Narbona Diez, P. Trallero , L. Ceron Nasarre, J. Hernández, J. C. Aparicio López, X. Pruna; Granollers/ES
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-0339
Background
Progressive systemic sclerosis or scleroderma is a generalized disease of the connective tissue in which up to 75% of the cases evidence pulmonary affection.
This disease is commonly associated with usual interstitial pneumonia,
non-specific interstitial pneumonia,
pulmonary vasculitis,
and pulmonary hypertension; nevertheless it can also be found associated with other lung diseases without a direct physiopathological relation.
This is the case of pulmonary manifestations of scleroderma and synchronic inhalation lung disease.
Pneumoconiosis is a broad group of lung diseases that result from the inhalation of dust particles.
A computerized tomography of the lungs performed under the suspicion of other illnesses (in this case scleroderma),
may find at the same time the presence of lung disease secondary to dust inhalation.
The key in the diagnostic process of these diseases is an extensive anamnesis,
which will confirm the history of exposure.
Because of this,
Radiologists must always be alert for the possibility of pulmonary simultaneous diseases.
There is a wide variety of pulmonary pathologies and it is important to know well their different characteristics,
as non-typical features can make us aware of a synchronic illness and be the first clue to open the possibility for a coexisting disease,
in other way misdiagnosed.