Pleural disorders asbestos

Additional research may help to develop therapeutic methods to interfere with the development of asbestos-induced lung and pleural disorders and to cause the disorders to regress once they are established. 

The Libby amphibole mineral, popularly known as tremolite asbestos, has been assigned a number of different names by scientists over the years (Meeker et al. 2001 Wylie and Verkouteren 2000) however, scientists agree that exposure to the mineral increased the risk of nonmalignant respiratory and pleural disorders, lung cancer, and mesothelioma in groups of people who worked in the now closed Libby mine and mill. These health problems are similar to those experienced by workers exposed to other types of asbestos before modem workplace air regulations were established. 

Exposure to any asbestos type (i.e., serpentine or amphibole) can increase the likelihood of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders. 

Additional research may help to develop therapeutic methods to interfere with the development of nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders, and to cause the disorders to regress once they are established. Such research may include studies on the mechanism of asbestos-related disease to provide further understanding of how persistent production of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species and persistent inflammatory cellular responses precisely interact. 

CT Protocols for Imaging of Non-Malignant Asbestos-Related Pleural Disorders 233 References 235... 

The non-malignant forms of asbestos-related pleural disorders include pleural plaques, benign pleural effusion, and diffuse pleural thickening. Although circumscribed pleural plaques and diffuse pleural thickening are considered under this broad category of asbestos-related pleural fibrosis, these processes are distinct entities that are likely to involve different pathogenic mechanisms and have different clinical consequences (Schwartz 1991). 

Among asbestos-related pleural disorders, benign effusion is the most recent to come to our atten-... 

Table 1.6 compares the annual cases seen by specialist doctors in the construction and all industries. The incidence rates show that asbestos related diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and vibration white finger are far more prevalent in the construction industry. Diffuse pleural thickening of the lung lining is thought to be principally due to exposure to asbestos but can be... 

Browne K (1994) Asbestos-related disorders. In Parkes WR (ed) Occupational lung disorders, 3rd edn. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, pp 411-504 British Thoracic and Tuberculosis Association and the Medical Research Council Pneumoconiosis Unit (1972) A survey of pleural thickening its relation to asbestos exposure and previous pleural disease. Environ Res 5 142-151 Butnor KJ, Sporn TA, Ingram P, Gunasegaram S, Pinto JF, Roggli VL (2003) Beryllium detection in human lung tissue using electron probe X-ray microanalysis. Modern Pathol 16 1171-1177... 

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