Alveolar Space Diseases

Alveolar lung diseases are a group of disorders characterized by pathological insults involving mainly the alveoli. The alveoli can be imagined as an empty cup, and alveolar diseases are classified according to the content of this cup. Alveolar diseases are characterized by filling the alveoli with materials that impede their normal physiological function (ventilation). Alveolar diseases can be localized (focal) or diffuse. Names of the conditions depend upon the content of the material filling the alveoli.