Obliterative bronchiolitis, cryptogenic organising pneumonitis and bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia: three names for two different conditions.

Over the last five years, increasing confusion has developed over the use of the terms "bronchiolitis obliterans" and "bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia". The confusion stems largely from the common use of the term "bronchiolitis obliterans" or "obliterative bronchiolitis" in the diagnostic labels applied to two entities which are quite distinct clinically but which bear certain resemblances histologically.