[How are interstitial lung diseases diagnosed in Germany? Results of the scientific registry for the exploration of interstitial lung diseases ("Fibrosis registry") of the WATL].

From 1995 to 1999 we evaluated questionnaires sent by pulmonologists and departments of pulmonology in order to register interstitial lung diseases. On the whole 1142 patients (579 males, 563 females, mean age 51.1 +/- 15.