[Recomment of the correctly understand and standardize the use of terms and concepts related to interstitial lung disease].

Abstract

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) comprise a group of diseases with varied etiologies and trajectories. Some terminologies in ILD could be easily misapplied in clinical practice if just interpreted literally, which significantly hamper diagnostic accuracy and scientific reproducibility. Therefore, correct understanding and appropriate usage of these terminologies are helpful to harmonize clinical practice and research methodologies. This article will elaborate on five noun concepts that are easily misused in the diagnosis and treatment of ILD, including interstitial lung abnormality (ILA), post-coronavirus interstitial lung disease (PC-ILD), progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF), hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and unclassifiable interstitial lung disease (uILD).