Imaging Of Occupational Lung Diseases

Research progress on the pathogenesis and prediction of pneumoconiosis among coal miners

Pneumoconiosis is the most common occupational disease among coal miners, which is a lung disease caused by long-term inhalation of coal dust and retention in the lungs. The early stage of this disease is highly insidious, and pulmonary fibrosis may occur in the middle and late stages, leading to an increase in patient pain index and mortality rate. Currently, there is a lack of effective treatment methods. The pathogenesis of pneumoconiosis is complex and has many influencing factors. Although the characteristics of coal dust have been considered the main cause of different mechanisms of pneumoconiosis, the effects of coal dust composition, particle size and shape, and coal dust concentration on the pathogenesis of pneumoconiosis have not been systematically elucidated. Meanwhile, considering the irreversibility of pneumoconiosis progression, early prediction for pneumoconiosis patients is particularly important. However, there is no early prediction standard for pneumoconiosis among coal miners. This review summarizes the relevant research on the pathogenesis and prediction of pneumoconiosis in coal miners in recent years. Firstly, the pathogenesis of coal worker pneumoconiosis and silicosis was discussed, and the impact of coal dust characteristics on pneumoconiosis was analyzed. Then, the early diagnostic methods for pneumoconiosis have been systematically introduced, with a focus on image collaborative computer-aided diagnosis analysis and biomarker detection. Finally, the challenge of early screening technology for miners with pneumoconiosis was proposed.

A 44-year-old stone worker with progressive dyspnea: lessons from a new twist on an old foe

Silicosis is typically an indolent lung disease caused by long-standing occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica, classically in professions such as sandblasting and mining.  An increasingly popular industry that has earned particular interest because of its association with silicosis is customization and installation of artificial stone countertops for domestic applications. In addition to causing a spike in cases of chronic and accelerated silicosis, both quite familiar to respiratory clinicians, outbreaks of artificial stone silicosis have brought to the fore a historically rare entity known as acute silicosis, or silicoproteinosis, a more rapid presentation of the disease. Failure to suspect this uncommon condition can lead to diagnostic confusion and therefore ineffective treatment as was true initially of the patient we describe herein.  The case description is followed by a clinical, radiological, and pathological overview of acute artificial stone silicosis (or silicoproteinosis), which is an emerging pneumoconiosis with sparse coverage in the literature to date.  This case also adds to the few existing reports on the use of therapeutic whole lung lavage for silicoproteinosis.