Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder best known for damaging joints, but in nearly a third of patients, it can also scar the lungs. This lung complication is known as RA-associated interstitial lung disease and usually develops quietly and is diagnosed only after irreversible damage has occurred. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation says that the cause of RA-associated interstitial lung diseases is uncertain but notes that risk factors include smoking and certain genetic mutations. A foundation factsheet mentions a theory that inflammation of the lungs might trigger RA in some people, in which case the condition might begin in the lungs in some people and then spread to the joints.

Early detection is considered one of the greatest unmet needs in the field. To solve that

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