Canadian Medical Guide > Diseases > Respiratory Tract Diseases > Lung Diseases > Lung Diseases, Interstitial > Radiation Pneumonitis Terms and Definitions

Radiation Pneumonitis

Medical Definition:	Injurious effects of radiotherapy on the lungs. There are three phases in the reaction of the lungs to radiation injury: an acute phase occurring 1 to 2 months after exposure, a subacute phase 2 to 9 months after exposure, and a chronic or fibrotic phase more than 9 months after exposure. In the acute phase there is vascular damage, congestion, edema, and mononuclear cell infiltration; in the subacute phase the alveolar walls are infiltrated with mononuclear inflammatory cells and fibroblasts; in the chronic phase, alveolar fibrosis and capillary sclerosis take place. (Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th ed, p2343)
Guide Notes:	an interstitial lung dis; assume to be caused by radiother so do not coord routinely with RADIOTHERAPY /adv eff; coord IM with other type or source of radiation with /adv eff (IM) if pertinent; DF: RAD PNEUMONITIS
Previously Indexed:	Pneumonia (1966-1993),Radiation Injuries (1966-1993),Radiation Injuries, Experimental (1966-1993),Radiotherapy/adverse effects (1967-1993)

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