Late inspiratory crackles

What it means

Crackles that appear any time after the beginning of inspiration and last till the end of inspiration.

Late inspiratory crackles may be observed, for example, in diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD). Crackles are commonly seen in patients with IPF/usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), asbestosis, and desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP).

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category