title: Noninvasive detection of early asbestos-related disease of the thorax: algorithmic analysis of radiographic, nuclear, and serologic tests.
abstract: Improved imaging techniques may assist in the diagnosis of early asbestosis, such as could occur from "asbestos in place." These include (1) increased visualization of visceral pleural thickening, (2) high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and (3) gallium scanning, combined with evidence of serum markers indicating inflammation-associated pulmonary collagen formation. Combining these imaging and serum test observations with a clinically useful algorithmic approach may permit the diagnosis of "early" asbestosis, which is not now possible from the individual test results or from an unweighted combination of such data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Rockoff
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos