US EPA

3097975 

Journal Article 

Hyaline and calcified pleural plaques as an index of exposure to asbestos: A study of radiological and pathological features of 100 cases with a consideration of epidemiology 

Hourihane DO; Lessof, L; Richardson, PC 

1966 

Yes 

British Medical Journal
ISSN: 0007-1447 

1 

1069-1074 

English 

20790941 

10.1136/bmj.1.5495.1069 

MEDLINE:20790941 

The association between pleural plaques as seen at necropsy or in routine chest radiographs and exposure to asbestos (1332214) was considered, with emphasis on the potential epidemiological value of radiology. The study concerned 56 cases in which pleural plaques were found at necropsy and 50 cases in which pleural calcifications were seen on x-ray examination. Six of the patients from the radiological series had the presence of plaques confirmed at necropsy, so that the total number of cases with pleural plaques was 100. Histological examination of routinely processed basal lung tissue, was found to be a sensitive and quick method for detecting asbestos bodies. The lungs from 115 routine necropsies were examined in this manner and classical asbestos bodies were found in 28 of these. The lungs from each case in which pleural plaques were present were similarly examined, and without exception, asbestos bodies were found in all 56. When calcium was present in sufficient amounts, radioopaque lesions were detected on chest radiography. Only the most dense pleural calcification appeared to be detectable in routine chest x-ray film. Radiographs were available from 51 of the 56 subjects in whom plaques had been found at necropsy, and only seven of these had evidence of pleural calcification in life. All seven had histological evidence of asbestosis or mesothelioma. The case history of a 67 year old man with peritoneal mesothelioma was briefly presented.