[Pulmonary asbestosis: an autopsy case].
The deceased was a 75-year-old male, found dead in his home. He had a history of occupational asbestos exposure for 13 years. At autopsy, there was diffuse fibrosis of the lung, with diffuse pleural thickening. Large amounts of asbestos bodies were detected in the lung tissue. The findings of transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (TEM-EDX) also showed asbestos fibers deposited in the lung tissue. From the macroscopic and histological findings of the lung, the number of asbestos bodies in the lung tissue and the TEM-EDX findings, we concluded that the cause of his death was chronic respiratory failure due to asbestosis. We recognize the importance of a detailed occupational history, which provides useful information for determining the cause of death.
Department of Legal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya 663-8501, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Kinoshita
Kiyoshi
K
Matsui
Akira
A
Kubota
Shogo
S
Kasuda
Minori
M
Nishiguchi
Harumi
H
Ouchi
Takako
T
Minami
Takehiko
T
Yamamura
Hiroyuki
H
Motomura
Hirotsugu
H
Kubo
Shigeru
S
Hishida
D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D001344:Autopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D019016:Mineral Fibers / Q000032:analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology
D019016:Mineral Fibers; D001194:Asbestos