If airway-centric disease has been ruled out and interstitial lung disease is suspected, making the distinction between fibrosing and non-fibrosing interstitial lung disease is imperative to narrow the differential diagnosis.10 Once it has been established that the underlying disorder is fibrotic in nature, the differential can be narrowed down to 5 diagnoses: usual interstitial pneumonia, non-specific interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, or fibrotic sarcoidosis. Next, we will discuss the hallmark features of these 5 diseases.10

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Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (an Update) and Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis in Adults: An Official ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT Clinical Practice Guideline

Reference

10. Jacob J, Hansell DM. HRCT of fibrosing lung disease. Respirology. 2015;20:859-872.