The difference between interstitial pneumonia and pneumonia

Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
Updated on November 19, 2024
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Interstitial pneumonia, also known as diffuse pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, mainly refers to a disease characterized by the replacement of the lung interstitium with some invisible fibrous tissues, leading to lung atrophy and difficulty breathing as the main manifestations. The pathological site of pneumonia is mainly in the alveoli and lung parenchyma, and patients mainly show symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, and fever, generally not experiencing difficulty breathing. Additionally, interstitial pneumonia and pneumonia have typical and distinct changes in imaging. Through imaging, it is basically possible to differentiate almost completely between interstitial pneumonia and pneumonia without the need for any special techniques.

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Mycoplasma pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumonia are clinically similar, making them difficult to distinguish from each other as both have similar symptoms and treatment options. Treatments such as erythromycin and quinolones can be used for both. The main difference between them lies in the laboratory tests. If tests for pneumonia, Mycoplasma antibodies or antigens are positive, then it is diagnosed as Mycoplasma pneumonia. If tests for Chlamydia pneumonia antibodies are positive, or if a throat swab test detects Chlamydia, then it is diagnosed as Chlamydia pneumonia.

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Can pneumonia symptoms include swollen feet?

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The difference between bronchopneumonia and pneumonia

Bronchopneumonia is a type of pneumonia. If we classify pneumonia anatomically, it is generally categorized into alveolar pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, and interstitial pneumonia. Thus, bronchopneumonia is a form of pneumonia. In lung imaging, bronchopneumonia often presents as patchy shadows distributed along the pulmonary markings, typically with blurry edges and more commonly seen in the lower lungs. These characteristics help distinguish it from other types of pneumonia.