Occupational Medicine Forum: What Are the Major Points and Emerging Issues in Radiologic Imaging for Pneumoconiosis Surveillance and Diagnosis?

Details

• Personal Author:
  Kales SN ; Muzaffar S
• Description:
  Although advances in radiologic imaging have facilitated the detection of disease, as well as the transmission and storage of images; diagnostic and surveillance guidelines for dust-exposed workers have not always kept pace with new technology. In particular, the International Labor Office (ILO) International Classification of Radiographs for Pneumoconioses (ILO/ICRP) was designed for the interpretation of analog radiographs.1 Many hospitals no longer offer analog films, however, and now perform all plain films using digital imaging. In addition, clinicians must sometimes clinically correlate and explain to the exposed worker divergent findings from high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) versus plain chest radiographs (CR). The following clinical vignette illustrates emerging challenges in pneumoconiosis surveillance and diagnosis. We then review the typical radiographic appearance of silicosis, mixed dust pneumoconiosis (MDP), and asbestosis; imaging guidelines for exposed workers; and test characteristics of current imaging methods. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asbestos Diagnosis Dust Inorganic Chemicals Occupational Health Radiation Safety Silicon Dioxide Workplace
• Keywords:
  Diagnostic Tests Dust Exposure Dusts Pneumoconiosis Radiography Silica Silica Dusts Silicosis Surveillance Work Environment Workers

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• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  101-104
• Volume:
  50
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060429
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2008 Jan; 50(1):101-104
• CAS Registry Number:
  Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Editor(s):
  Schwerha JJ
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9bf059643594978e457a254459c0a379958460db616d87edecbbc975cd4e6b699905a32b261d20a244841dc2fda1a8499b81915ea08e7abdc8a1a5cbd8f6d5d9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224324/cdc_224324_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 109.45 KB ]