Pleural Thickening and Calcification

Chest Imaging ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 175-179
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Asbestos Exposure ◽  
Malignant Degeneration ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaque ◽  
Imaging Appearance ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Diffuse Pleural Thickening ◽  
Costophrenic Angle ◽  
Common Manifestation ◽  
Over Time

Pleural thickening and calcification discusses the radiographic and computed tomography (CT) manifestations of benign pleural thickening and pleural calcification. Benign pleural thickening must be differentiated from malignant pleural thickening and their differentiating characteristics will be discussed. Pleural plaque is the most common manifestation of asbestos exposure and carries no risk of malignant degeneration. The most common imaging appearance is bilateral sharply demarcated, multifocal areas of discontinuous pleural thickening that often calcifies over time. Pleural plaques spare the apical and costophrenic sulcus pleura and has a predilection for the diaphragmatic pleura. Diffuse pleural thickening is associated with hemothorax, empyema, connective tissue disorders, and asbestos exposure. It is generally unilateral, causes blunting of the costophrenic angle, spans multiple rib interspaces, and is irregular in shape. When diffuse pleural thickening calcifies and is associated with volume loss in the affected lung, it is termed fibrothorax.

scholarly journals Yellow Nail Syndrome with Bilateral Pleural Plaques and Diffuse Pleural Thickening: A Mimic of Asbestos Related Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Adam Dallmann ◽  
Richard L. Attanoos
Keyword(s):  
Asbestos Exposure ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Yellow Nail Syndrome ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Pulmonary Manifestations ◽  
Diffuse Pleural Thickening ◽  
Mineral Fibre ◽  
Asbestos Related Disease ◽  
Fibre Analysis

Yellow nail syndrome is a rare acquired condition of unknown aetiology associated with distinct nail discolouration/xanthonychia, pulmonary manifestations, and lymphoedema. Pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening are typically, although not exclusively, recognised as markers of prior commercial asbestos exposure. The presence of such biomarkers may assist an asbestos personal injury evaluation. A postmortem examination performed on a 72-year-old man with known long-standing yellow nail syndrome identified pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening. An evaluation of the occupational history identified no known asbestos exposure. Electron microscopic mineral fibre analysis detected no asbestos fibres. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case of yellow nail syndrome in which these benign pleural changes are reported ex asbestos. Alternate causes for such pleural pathology were absent. There is merit in physicians and pathologists having an awareness of these new manifestations when considering claimed asbestos related changes during life and at postmortem.

scholarly journals Asbestosis, pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening: three distinct benign responses to asbestos exposure

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1021-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.A. Gevenois ◽  
V. De Maertelaer ◽  
A. Madani ◽  
C. Winant ◽  
G. Sergent ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Asbestos Exposure ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Diffuse Pleural Thickening

Introduction to Pleural Disease

Chest Imaging ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 155-158
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Pleural Effusion ◽  
Asbestos Exposure ◽  
Pleural Space ◽  
Pulmonary Vasculature ◽  
Pleural Disease ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Pleural Surface ◽  
Pleural Neoplasm ◽  
Ct Features

The chapter titled introduction to pleural disease discusses the imaging and clinical features of diseases of the pleura. The pleural space is a potential space located between the visceral and parietal pleural surfaces. Pleural effusion and pneumothorax are the most common manifestations of pleural disease and are caused by a wide variety of disease processes. Pleural thickening may be related to benign or malignant processes. Bilateral discontinuous nodular pleural thickening is characteristic of pleural plaques. Pleural thickening with calcification may also be seen in fibrothorax. Malignant pleural disease may manifest with pleural effusion, pleural nodules or masses, or a combination of the two. There are several CT features suggestive of malignant pleural thickening including circumferential pleural thickening, pleural nodules or masses, involvement of the mediastinal pleural surface, and pleural thickening measuring greater than 1 cm in thickness. Metastatic disease is the most common pleural neoplasm. Mesothelioma is uncommon but remains the most common primary pleural malignancy and is almost always seen in patients with previous asbestos exposure. Pleural abnormalities must be differentiated from pulmonary processes. Pleural masses may exhibit obtuse angles with the adjacent pleural surfaces, displace rather than engulf adjacent pulmonary vasculature, and may exhibit the incomplete border sign.

Occupational lung disease

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Cullinan ◽  
Joanna Szram
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Asthma ◽  
Toxic Exposure ◽  
Allergic Alveolitis ◽  
Lung Cancers ◽  
Pleural Diseases ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Occupational Lung Disease ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Diffuse Pleural Thickening ◽  
The Many

Some occupational lung diseases are defined by their clinical or pathological nature (e.g. occupational asthma or mesothelioma), while others are defined by their specific etiology (e.g. silicosis, farmer’s lung). Most fall into one of three categories. The first is airways disease, including occupational asthma (induced by a workplace agent), work-exacerbated asthma (preexisting asthma provoked by one or more agents at work), and irritant-induced asthma (initiated by a single, toxic exposure to a respiratory irritant); COPD and obliterative bronchiolitis may arise from workplace exposures, and around 10% of lung cancers have an occupational etiology. The second is parenchymal diseases, incorporating the many types of pneumoconiosis, differentiated by the dust that caused them, and the many types of extrinsic allergic alveolitis (or hypersensitivity pneumonia) categorized by the occupations in which they arise. The third is pleural diseases comprising pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening, and mesothelioma.

Asbestosis

Chest Imaging ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 383-386
Author(s):  
Joseph T. Azok
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Asbestos Exposure ◽  
Chest Ct ◽  
Pleural Effusions ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Asbestos Fibers ◽  
Related Disease ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Asbestos Related Disease

Asbestosis is a fibrotic pneumoconiosis resulting from the inhalation of asbestos fibers, most commonly from occupational exposure. Chest radiographs and high-resolution chest CT can detect asbestos-related disease. Pleural abnormalities include pleural plaques, pleural effusions, pleural thickening, and mesothelioma. Pleural plaques serve as a marker of asbestos exposure and are the most common imaging abnormality found in patients exposed to asbestos. Parenchymal-induced lung disease includes pulmonary fibrosis, known as asbestosis, rounded atelectasis, and lung cancer. Asbestos exposure leads to an increased risk of both lung cancer and especially mesothelioma, which is rare in the absence of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos-related pleural diseases: Dimensional criteria are not appropriate to differentiate diffuse pleural thickening from pleural plaques

2004 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Ameille ◽  
Mireille Matrat ◽  
Christophe Paris ◽  
Nathalie Joly ◽  
Claude Raffaelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pleural Diseases ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Diffuse Pleural Thickening

Respiratory symptoms and quality of life in asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening and pleural plaques

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvie Prazakova ◽  
Alessandra Sandrini ◽  
Susan Miles ◽  
Paul Thomas ◽  
Anthony Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Respiratory Symptoms ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Diffuse Pleural Thickening

scholarly journals Clinical Investigation of Benign Asbestos Pleural Effusion

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobukazu Fujimoto ◽  
Kenichi Gemba ◽  
Keisuke Aoe ◽  
Katsuya Kato ◽  
Takako Yokoyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pleural Effusion ◽  
Clinical Investigation ◽  
Asbestos Exposure ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Pleural Thickening ◽  
Pleural Plaques ◽  
Before And After ◽  
History Of

There is no detailed information about benign asbestos pleural effusion (BAPE). The aim of the study was to clarify the clinical features of BAPE. The criteria of enrolled patients were as follows: (1) history of asbestos exposure; (2) presence of pleural effusion determined by chest X-ray, CT, and thoracentesis; and (3) the absence of other causes of effusion. Clinical information was retrospectively analysed and the radiological images were reviewed. There were 110 BAPE patients between 1991 and 2012. All were males and the median age at diagnosis was 74 years. The median duration of asbestos exposure and period of latency for disease onset of BAPE were 31 and 48 years, respectively. Mean values of hyaluronic acid, adenosine deaminase, and carcinoembryonic antigen in the pleural fluid were 39,840 ng/mL, 23.9 IU/L, and 1.8 ng/mL, respectively. Pleural plaques were detected in 98 cases (89.1%). Asbestosis was present in 6 (5.5%) cases, rounded atelectasis was detected in 41 (37.3%) cases, and diffuse pleural thickening (DPT) was detected in 30 (27.3%) cases. One case developed lung cancer (LC) before and after BAPE. None of the cases developed malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) during the follow-up.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document