Pulmonary vasculitis

Last revised by Morten Hagir on 20 Oct 2021

Pulmonary vasculitis refers to vasculitides that affect the lung or pulmonary vessels. If this definition is used, a large group of conditions can fall into this category. The respiratory system may be potentially involved in all systemic vasculitides, although to a variable degree.

Pathology

When using the term "vasculitis" this implies that an inflammatory component is present within the pulmonary vessels.

Small vessel vasculitides

The group that classically forms the dominant pulmonary vasculitis tends to include the small vessel inflammatory processes that affect the pulmonary vessels:

Large vessel vasculitides

Large vessel vasculitides can also affect the lung and pulmonary vessels:

Granulomatous disease

In addition, certain granulomatous processes in the lung can also have an angiocentric component 3:

Classification

Various classification systems have been published including the popular Chapel Hill Consensus Conference classification system 7.

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