When scarring is found in the lungs testing is done to try to find the cause. Tiny pieces of lung are taken by biopsy. The video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) that you had done is one way of doing a biopsy. The pieces of lung are viewed through a microscope. Usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP) is describing a certain pattern that is seen when the pieces of lung are viewed through a microscope. UIP occurs with some connective tissue diseases. It must be determined that any person with UIP does not have a connective tissue disease. Then it is known that a connective tissue disease is not the cause of the scarring in the lungs. Often the cause cannot be found. Only when the cause of the scarring in the lungs is unknown can it be said that this person has idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
It is common for bronchiectasis and bronchiolectasis to be seen on the CT scan of a person with UIP. Inflammation and infections cause damage to the airways of the lungs. When the airways become dilated this is called bronchiolectasis. When the airways become distorted with areas where mucus can collect this is called bronchiectasis.
The CT scan of 70% to 90% of people with UIP shows mediastinal adenopathy. This means the lymph nodes in the area between the lungs are larger than usual. Please talk with your pulmonologist about the hilar adenopathy that was seen on your CT scan. Hilar adenopathy is another way of saying the lymph nodes in the upper middle area of the lungs near the heart are larger than usual. It may be helpful to compare your CT scan with your past chest x-rays.
Try these links for info:
http://www.fpnotebook.com/LUN143.htm
http://info.med.yale.edu/intmed/cardio/imaging/findings/hilar_adenopathy/
I believe back when I had a bilobar pneumonia, I also had unilateral adenopathy...it is an inflammation response.
GL,
jleigh5570