Differential: Upper vs. Lower Lobe Interstitial Lung Disease

Upper Lobe: SET CAP or FASTEN

S: Silicosis/sarcoidosis
E: Extrinsic allergic alveolitis (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)
T: Tuberculosis
C: Cystic Fibrosis
A: Ankylosing spondylitis
P: Pneumocystis Pneumonitis

OR

F: Farmer’s lung (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)

A: Ankylosing spondylitis

S: Silicosis/sarcoidosis

T: Tuberculosis

E: Eosinophilic granuloma

N: Neurofibromatosis

Lower Lobe: BAD RASH

B: Bronchiectasis
A: Aspiration
D: Desquamative interstitial pneumonia
R: Rheumatoid Arthritis
A: Asbestosis
S: Scleroderma
H: Hamman-Reich Syndrome (Acute interstitial pneumonitis)

REFERENCES

1. Nemec, S. F., Bankier, A. A., & Eisenberg, R. L. (2013). Upper Lobe–Predominant Diseases of the Lung. American Journal of Roentgenology, 200(3). doi:10.2214/ajr.12.8961
2. Felson B. A new look at pattern recognition of diffuse pulmonary disease. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1979; 133:183.
3. Genereux GP. Radiologic assessment of diffuse lung disease. In: Radiology, Diagnosis, Imaging, Intervention, Taveras, Ferrucci (Eds), JP Lippincott, Philadelphia 1992. Vol 1, p.1-18.