As it happens, three main diseases dominate the medical records of Russian residents: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma and pneumonia. Meanwhile, pulmonology is much more diverse! There are diseases that we meet less often, but this does not relieve us of the need to know about them. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is still fatal, the prevalence of tuberculosis is very high, we have begun to detect cystic fibrosis more often. In recent years, I myself have encountered sarcoidosis several times. Alas, the number of patients with lung cancer, which accounts for 10-15% of all lung diseases, is growing.

I am glad that we have new diagnostic capabilities, thanks to which it is possible to identify the causative agent of the disease and determine its drug resistance within a day. Endoscopic diagnostic technologies, in particular endobronchial ultrasound, are also actively developing. Patients of leading federal clinics are even offered navigational biopsy.

And yet in this issue we will touch upon those topics that remain topical for the bulk of therapists. Without exotic diagnoses and julwern instrumental miracles. I hope you will find the journal interesting!

Prof. I.V. Egorov