Advancements in Interstitial Lung Disease Classification and Segmentation: A Comprehensive Review

Interstitial lung disorders, collectively affecting the interstitium around lung air sacs, are marked by fibrosis, inflammation, and compromised lung function. Conditions like Sarcoidosis, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Connective tissue disease-associated ILDs, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), and more fall under this group. Diagnosis includes clinical assessment, radiographic imaging (e.g., High-Resolution Computed Tomography), lung function tests, and histological lung tissue analysis. Radiologists face difficulties identifying ILDs via X-rays and CT scans, necessitating robust detection, treatment, and monitoring algorithms. Moreover, this review looks into CT scan-related challenges in ILD identification, including image artifacts, data variability, and deep learning model interpretability. By presenting insights and addressing hurdles, this literature review aims to advance important research in medical imaging, particularly in the context of ILD identification.