What is bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia?

Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a type of lung disease that is the result of the organization of pneumonia that attacks bronchioles and alveoles of the lungs. Bronchioles are small airways over the lungs and alveoli are small air bags. This disease is non -infection and causes inflammation of bronchiols and alveoli. Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and standard bronchiolitis of obliterans are different lung diseases, but can be easily confused. Bronchiolitis obliterans causes the bronchioles to narrow and compress because the tissue of the scars blocks the airways. Boop, on the other hand, includes inflammation of bronchiols and scar development in alveoli. To avoid confusion, the medical community also refers to the boop as cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP).

is researching the exact causes of BPPO. Known causes include chronic inflammatory diseases, similar to rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma. Radiation therapies and some medicines may also ZPto develop the development of the boop. Common known causes are long -term exposure to toxic vapors and chronic bacterial lung infections. When doctors know the cause of the disease in the patient, it is called secondary boop. Some patients may also show symptoms that mimic the flu, such as body pain and fatigue. Normal symptoms are also low fever and weight loss.

You want to diagnose the boop, a number of tests are performed. Physical tests often provide a starting point for further testing when doctors notice cracking sounds during patient breathing and oxygen saturation are low. Doctors must see inside the lungs to look at bronchioles and alveoli. X -ray rays of chest and scanning magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide the necessary views of the lungs. In some cases, a tissue sample may be required to exclude lung cancer.

corticosteroids are a common bronchIolitis obliterans organizing treatment of pneumonia. These drugs work to reduce inflammation, which also reduces the risk that the patient will develop scars in alveoli. Corticosteroid treatment is short -term and doses gradually decrease as the disease reacts. Doctors prescribe a higher dose, so the drug works faster and then the dose slowly decreases within a few weeks to shut down the patient corticosteroids.