European journal of radiology open
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The connective tissue diseases (CTDs) demonstrating features of interstitial lung disease (ILD) include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Sjogren's syndrome (SS), and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). In RA patients in particular, interstitial lung abnormality (ILA) (of varying degrees; severe vs. mild) is reported to occur in approximately 20-60 % of individuals and CT disease progression occurs in approximately 35-45 % of them. The ILAs have been associated with a spectrum of functional and physiologic decrement. ⋯ Even though proportions of ILDs vary, NSIP pattern accounts for a large proportion, especially in PSS, DM/PM and MCTD, followed by UIP pattern. Evidence has been published that treatment of subclinical CT lung abnormalities showing a tendency to progress to ILD may stabilize the CT alterations. The identification of subclinical lung abnormalities can be appropriate in the management of the disease and CT appears to be the gold standard for the evaluation of lung parenchyma.