title: Pleural plaque profiles on the chest radiographs and CT scans of asbestos-exposed Japanese construction workers.
abstract: Pleural plaques are asymptomatic focal thickenings of the pleura and considered the hallmark of asbestos exposure. However, it is often difficult to detect pleural plaques on chest x-rays (CXR). In a retrospective study, using chest CT scans of 140 Japanese asbestos-exposed construction workers who have probable or definite findings of pleural plaque on CXR; firstly, we proposed plaque morphology-based classification for CXR findings, and then we examined if those classified findings could be confirmed as pleural plaques on CT scans. Our morphology-based classification of pleural plaque findings included nine types. The percentages of confirmed pleural plaques on CT scans by type (number of confirmed pleural plaque on CT/number of observed on CXR) were 93% (40/43) for straight, 89% (56/63) for diamond, 88% (7/8) for double, 83% (19/23) for tapered medially, 80% (20/25) for parallel, 77% (23/30) for crescent, 79% (11/14) for tenting, 72% (18/25) for tapered-laterally (long type), and 0% (0/9) for tapered-laterally (short type). When added to the ILO classification, morphology-based classification of CXR pleural plaque findings makes its detection easier and hence chest radiograph continues to be a suitable tool for screening asbestos-related pleural plaques based on its simplicity, low radiation exposure, wide availability and cost-effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan. momenhafez79@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Momen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elshazley
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hisanaga
authors.forename: Gaku
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.forename: Ashraf A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ewis
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamijima
authors.forename: Sahoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity*; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010994:Pleura / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos