Diagnosing and treating interstitial lung disease.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD), also known as diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD), is an umbrella term for many different lung diseases. The key area of damage is the interstitial (or parenchymal) area of the lung, which is the area between the microscopic-air or alveolar sacs. Diffuse simply means scattered widely. There are estimated to be over 200 identified causes of ILD and its prevalence has been reported as between one and three in 10,000 people.