For patients suspected of DILD, the ability of conventional X-ray examination seems to be limited, as the sensitivity and specificity of this method have been shown to be inefficient. Data from 458 patients with histologically confirmed DILD were studied. Chest X-ray findings proved to be normal in 10% of cases. Among 86 patients affected by DILD, no pathological changes were detected in 50% of patients with histologically confirmed bronchiectasis and in more than 20% of patients with emphysema shown on radiographs. Radiography can also show false-positive results of investigations. We found that in 10-20% of patients with X-ray confirmed signs of DILD, no changes were detected during lung biopsy.

Computerized nonlinear diagnostics (NLS) with Metatron Hunter 4025 is one of the promising methods for diagnosing lung diseases today. NLS significantly improves the communication of fine morphological elements in lung tissue and opens new opportunities for the identification of interstitial diseases of the bronchoalveolar system. NLS has a high sensitivity in the detection of interstitial lesions of the parenchyma and small nodules.

The findings demonstrate that NLS has a better sensitivity in the detection of acute and chronic diffuse lung diseases. The sensitivity of NLS diagnosis in the detection of lung diseases is 85%, compared to 70% for chest X-ray.

The accumulated experience also provides additional basis for the assertion that NLS is a highly effective method for the diagnosis of various diffuse lung diseases, including DILD, and is superior to "classic" chest X-ray in terms of sensitivity.

It should be noted that the high sensitivity of the NLS method is achieved without sacrificing the specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the method. In patients affected by DILD, the specificity of NLS was 86%, compared to 76% for X-ray. In particular, the high sensitivity (86-88%) and specificity (83-89%) of NLS were demonstrated in the diagnosis of bronchiectasis.

Even with evidence of certain clinical symptoms, the diagnostic accuracy of classical radiography in patients affected by DILD seems to be limited. The reasons are both the superposition of images in the X-rays and the low contrast of tiny lung structures.

NLS does not have these aspects, which is why it is considered a more effective method for identifying diffuse lesions of lung tissue, compared to radiographic examinations and conventional computed tomography.

Moreover, the NLS method has a higher sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy and can be a decisive factor in assessing the activity of the pathological process in patients with DILD. In some cases, NLS can be used not only to define the presence or absence of pathology

Metatron Hunter 4025 is increasingly influential in various diseases