Recommended CT Protocol for Evaluation of ILD

The 2018 American Thoracic Society, European Respiratory Society, Japanese Respiratory Society, and Latin American Thoracic Association consensus guidelines for diagnosing and managing IPF recommend this technique when evaluating patients with suspected ILD.⁴⁵ When writing the script for HRCT, it is important to note the patient’s age and sex, relevant clinical history including possible exposures or history of pertinent diseases, particularly connective tissue disorders, and the presence of any clinical symptoms that may indicate the cause of lung disease.

When evaluating the report from the radiologist, it is recommended to read the entire report, noting the description and location of abnormalities (peripheral vs central, upper vs lower), and the presence of any typical features and importantly, absence of exclusionary features, for the differential diagnosis.