Postradiation lung fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis represents the final stage of post-radiation lung changes.


 * after irradiation of lung tissue with ionizing radiation at doses> 8 Gy in 30 weeks
 * necrotic changes caused by ionizing radiation healed by a fibrotic scar
 * clinically: dry cough, worsening dyspnoea (restriction disorder with ↓ diffusion)
 * diff. dg: radiation pneumonitis (exudative alveolitis from pneumocyte + endothelial damage)
 * th: in small infiltrates without treatment, in symptomatic corticoids
 * risk factors: proffesional injury (radiologist, miner), poorly targeted radioteraphy

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