Abstract
Pulmonary disease is common in patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) and confers
significant morbidity and mortality. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) provides
considerable information regarding the distribution and severity of thoracic disease
in CTD. Different anatomical compartments of the lung can be simultaneously affected
in a given individual. Furthermore, lung injury may not be solely related to the underlying
CTD, but may be caused by treatment or infections. Finally, the risk of developing
cancer is increased in patients with certain CTDs. In this review, the HRCT manifestations
of CTD are initially discussed with respect to the different compartments involved,
followed by a description of the spectrum of pulmonary disease commonly occurring
in specific CTDs.
Keywords
computed tomography - imaging - connective tissue diseases