Abstract
Involvement of the respiratory system is common in connective tissue diseases (CTDs), and the resultant lung injury can affect every part of the lung: the pleura, alveoli, interstitium, vasculature, lymphatic tissue, and large and/or small airways. Most of the parenchymal manifestations of CTD are similar to those found in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), especially idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, and can be classified using the same system. Although there is some overlap, each CTD is associated with a characteristic pattern of pulmonary involvement. For this reason, thin-section CT as well as pulmonary function tests and serum markers are utilized for diagnosis, disease severity assessment, and therapeutic efficacy evaluation of ILD associated with CTD. In additio...
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