Hamman-Rich syndrome: a forgotten entity.

The following report outlines the case of a 76-year-old gentleman who presented to the hospital with acute interstitial pneumonitis, a rare and rapidly progressive type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. The patient initially presented with a three-week history of progressive shortness of breath and cough which was diagnosed as community acquired pneumonia. Treatment with oral antibiotics was unsuccessful resulting in re-presentation the following week with type one respiratory failure.