title: Agricultural disorders of the lung.
abstract: Agricultural workers are at risk for developing many respiratory tract disorders. Crop production disorders include chronic bronchitis, asthma, organic dust toxicity syndrome, chemical poisoning, farmer lung, and silo-filler disease. Livestock production disorders include toxic manure poisoning (dung lung) and several zoonoses. Radiographic manifestations can be classified into three patterns: (a) normal findings, characteristic of chronic bronchitis, asthma, or organic dust toxicity syndrome; (b) acute diffuse interstitial or alveolar pattern, characteristic of farmer lung, silo-filler disease, dung lung, and chemical poisoning; and (c) chronic interstitial pattern in the upper lobes (farmer lung) or lower lobes (silo-filler disease, paraquat poisoning). Differential diagnosis is aided by knowledge that most of these disorders have a seasonal presentation. Zoonoses generally exhibit focal areas of consolidation in the lung: The type of splenic calcification, presence of mediastinal or hilar adenopathy, and development of bronchiectasis are additional findings useful in differentiating these rare infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gurney
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dorby
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Mitby
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Von Essen
mesh_terms: D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000818:Animals; D005203:Farmer's Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D012832:Silo Filler's Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000209:etiology