Interstitial Lung Disease

To speak with an interstitial lung disease specialist, call 410-328-8141.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary fibrosis comprise a diverse group of lung diseases which have a combination of inflammation and/or scarring within the lungs.

The most common and severe form of pulmonary fibrosis is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), with tens of thousands of newly diagnosed patients in the U.S. every year.

At the University of Maryland Medical Center, our ILD Program strives to improve ILD and pulmonary fibrosis patients' overall health and quality of life. As one of 40 sites nationally recognized by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation as a Clinical Care Network site, we are recognized as a leader in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

Our ILD physicians are experts in the diagnosis and management of ILD and pulmonary fibrosis, and partner with different hospital programs to provide the best care possible. Partner programs include:

• Occupation and Environmental Medicine: for those ILD patients who come in contact with lung-disease inducing substances in work and everyday lives
• Interventional Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery: for those needing further lung diagnostic biopsies

Multidisciplinary Team Treats Interstitial Lung Disease

Our ILD program uses a multidisciplinary approach while treating our patients, bringing together internationally-recognized physicians and scientists from the fields of pulmonary medicine, chest radiology and lung pathology regularly to discuss patient cases. Our meetings supplement the interpersonal interactions between our pulmonary physicians and our ILD patients, and ensures that our ILD Program provides the highest levels of expertise to the care of ILD and pulmonary fibrosis patients on our campus.

Our care places an emphasis on exercise, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen supplementation, cough management and overall quality of life.

In some instances, lung function deteriorates despite medical interventions and lung transplantation becomes the best treatment option. Learn more about UMMC's lung transplantation program and advanced lung disease treatments.

Interstitial Lung Disease Research

Our ILD Program collaborates with multiple research activities at the University of Maryland related to ILD and pulmonary fibrosis. The University of Maryland has an active basic science and translational research lab which investigates inflammatory, immune and fibrosis mechanisms in animal models and patients with ILD and pulmonary fibrosis.

The Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine conducts epidemiologic investigations related to ILD and pulmonary fibrosis.

UMMC also offers several actively enrolling clinical trials for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. To inquire about a pulmonary fibrosis clinical trial, call 410-328-1473.