Thoracic manifestations of rheumatic disease: a radiologist's view.

With varying prevalence and manifestations depending on the underlying disease, thoracic involvement is one of the major factors determining morbidity and mortality in patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs). The most frequent pulmonary complication is interstitial lung disease (ILD), but other thoracic manifestations can also be present. Often, the only way to depict these extra-articular manifestations of disease is through imaging.