Updated international guidelines were published in 2022, which some simplification in diagnosis and the removal of antacids as a possible adjunct therapy. Signs and symptoms
In many people, symptoms are present for a considerable time before diagnosis. The most common clinical features of IPF include the following:
Age over 50 years
Dry, non-productive cough on exertion
Progressive exertional dyspnea (shortness of breath with exercise)
Dry, inspiratory bibasilar "velcro-like" crackles on auscultation (a crackling sound in the lungs during inhalation similar to Velcro being torn apart slowly, heard with a stethoscope). Clubbing of the digits, a disfigurement of the finger tips or toes (see image)
Abnormal pulmonary function test results, with evidence of restriction and impaired gas exchange.Some of these features are due to chronic hypoxemia (oxygen deficiency in the blood), are not specific for IPF, and can occur in other pulmonary disorders. IPF should be considered in all patients with unexplained chronic exertional dyspnea who present with cough, inspiratory bibasilar crackles, or finger clubbing.Assessment of "velcro" crackles on lung auscultation is a practical way to improve the earlier diagnosis of IPF. Fine crackles are easily recognized by clinicians and are characteristic of IPF.If bilateral fine crackles are present throughout the inspiratory time and are persisting after several deep breaths, and if remaining present on several occasions several weeks apart in a subject aged ≥60 years, this should raise the suspicion of IPF and lead to consideration of an HRCT scan of the chest which is more sensitive than a chest X-ray.
With both measures, multiple images can be compared to see if there is a loss in brain volume over time. Difference from hydrocephalus
Cerebral atrophy can be hard to distinguish from hydrocephalus because both cerebral atrophy and hydrocephalus involve an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume. In cerebral atrophy, this increase in CSF volume comes as a result of the decrease in cortical volume. In hydrocephalus, the increase in volume happens due to the CSF itself. Treatment
Cerebral atrophy is not usually preventable. However, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk:

controlling blood pressure
a healthy balanced diet including omega-3s and antioxidants
staying active mentally, physically, and socially. Reversibility of cerebral atrophy
While most cerebral atrophy is said to be irreversible, recent studies that show this is not always the case. A child who was treated with ACTH originally showed atrophy, but four months after treatment the brain was seemingly normal again.As previously mentioned, chronic alcoholism is known to be associated with significant brain damage. The pronounced shrinkage in the frontal lobes and cerebellum of alcoholics correlates with serious impairments in executive and psychomotor functions. However, longitudinal studies suggest that some of these brain damages are partially reversible with abstinence. In response to drinking cessation, bodies of gray and white matter including the cerebral cortex, the limbic system (amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus), the cerebellum, and the brainstem all showed a general increase in brain volume. Similarly, ventricular enlargement—which reflects atrophy of surrounding brain regions—is also reduced in abstinent alcoholics.