Trends in pleural radiographic findings in the Navy Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program (1990-1999).
The U.S. Navy Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program is a comprehensive effort to decrease exposure to asbestos, a known health hazard. This study was part of a programmatic review of the Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program database, which included 233,353 radiographic examinations from 1990 to 1999. The initial review focused on incidental findings recorded by B-readers for 23,460 radiographs. Abnormalities reported included bullae (0.68%), cancer (0.56%), cardiac size/ shape abnormalities (1.36%), emphysema (0.74%), subpleural fat (2.62%), fractured ribs (1.24%), hilar adenopathy (0.13%), ill-defined diaphragm (0.46%), ill-defined heart border (0.29%), Kerley lines (0.06%), pleural thickening (2.35%), and tuberculosis (0.27%). The rates by age cohort for pleural abnormalities decreased significantly (30-39 years, chi2 for trend = 23.49, df = 1; 40-49 years, chi2 for trend = 176.21; 50-59 years, chi2 for trend = 401.87), but findings were not significantly different for those > or =60 years of age. This suggests that sequential age cohorts in the program are developing fewer pleural abnormalities; pleural abnormalities have historically been associated with asbestos exposure.
Muller
John G
JG
Navy Environmental Health Center, 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Suite 1100, Portsmouth, VA 23708-2103, USA.
Bohnker
Bruce K
BK
Philippi
Alan F
AF
Litow
Francesca K
FK
Rudolph
Garry
G
Hernandez
Jose E
JE
D000328:Adult; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D009326:Naval Medicine; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011859:Radiography; D012767:Ships; D014481:United States