Inflammation of an alveolus in the lungs or the socket of a tooth.
Inflammation of the alveoli, tiny air sacs in the lungs, a kind of lung and breathing disorder.
A lung disease that results from an inflammation of the alveoli, which are the tiny round air sacs found at the ends of the bronchioles in the lungs.
A lung disease that results from an inflammation of the alveoli, which are the tiny round air sacs found at the ends of the bronchioles in the lungs. The alveoli are the terminal ends of the bronchioles, which are tiny airways that form after many divisions of the bronchi, the two airways that branch off from the windpipe, or trachea. There are millions of alveoli in each lung. Each alveolus is surrounded by a dense system of capillaries. When they function normally, the alveoli’s very thin walls permit an exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the blood in the capillaries.
Inflammation of an alveolus or alveoli. Chronic inflammation of the walls of the lung alveoli is usually caused by inhaled inorganic dusts or organic dusts. It is sometimes associated with rheumatoid arthritis or systemic sclerosis.
Inflammation of the alveoli, the terminal air sacs of the lungs, caused by an allergic reaction. When the inflammation is caused by infection it is called pneumonia, and when by a chemical or physical agent it is called pneumonitis. It may be associated with systemic sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis.
The walls of the alveoli, the minuscule air sacs in the lungs, can become inflamed and thickened. This condition, known as alveolitis, hampers the lung’s elasticity during the breathing process and diminishes the efficiency of gas exchange between the lungs and the surrounding blood vessels.
Alveolitis is frequently a result of an allergic reaction triggered by inhaling dust particles of animal or plant origin. For instance, conditions like farmer’s lung (caused by spores from moldy hay), bagassosis (caused by spores from moldy sugar-cane residue), and pigeon fancier’s lung (caused by particles from bird droppings) fall under this category. This specific type of alveolitis is referred to as extrinsic allergic alveolitis.
Fibrosing alveolitis is categorized as an autoimmune disorder, characterized by the immune system mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues. In certain instances, it coexists with other autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus.
Radiation alveolitis arises due to the irradiation of the lungs and can manifest as a rare complication following radiotherapy for lung or breast cancer.
Typically, alveolitis manifests as a dry cough and difficulty in breathing during physical exertion.
A chest X-ray of an individual experiencing alveolitis typically reveals a pattern of mottled shadowing spread across the lungs. Blood tests might be conducted to detect specific antibodies, which are proteins generated by the immune system, in response to an allergen. These tests can also be used to investigate the presence of an autoimmune disorder, characterized by the immune system attacking the body’s own tissues. Pulmonary function tests demonstrate a reduction in lung capacity without any air flow obstruction through the bronchi, the air passages leading to the lungs. In some cases, a lung biopsy, involving the extraction of a tissue sample for microscopic analysis, may be necessary to establish a definitive diagnosis of alveolitis.
In most cases of alveolitis, a short-term administration of corticosteroid medications alleviates symptoms. However, for fibrosing alveolitis, these drugs may be required on a long-term basis. If the cause of allergic alveolitis is identified and avoided before any lung damage occurs, the effects are reversible and not permanent. However, in fibrosing alveolitis, the damage progresses despite treatment, leading to a progressive breathing difficulty and, in some cases, respiratory failure.