title: CT patterns of pleuro-pulmonary damage caused by inhalation of pumice as a model of pneumoconiosis from non-fibrous amorphous silicates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this article is to correlate the radiological features of pleuro-pulmonary damage caused by inhalation of pumice (an extrusive volcanic rock classified as a non-fibrous, amorphous, complex silicate) with exposure conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  36 subjects employed in the pumice quarries were evaluated for annual follow-up in a preventive medical surveillance program including spirometry, chest CT lasting from 1999 to 2014. They were only male subjects, mean age 56.92 ± 16.45 years. Subjects had worked in the quarries for an average of 25.03 ± 9.39 years. Domestic or occupational exposure to asbestos or other mineral dusts other than pumice was excluded. Subjects were also classified as smokers, former smokers and nonsmokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 36 workers examined, we identified four CT patterns which resulted to be dependent on exposure duration and intensity, FVC, FEV1 and FEF25-75, but not on cigarette smoking. The most common symptoms reported by clinical examination were dyspnoea, cough and asthenia. In no case it was proven an evolution of CT findings during follow-up for 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liparitosis, caused by pumice inhalation, can be considered a representative example of pneumoconiosis derived by amorphous silica compounds, which are extremely widespread for industrial manufacturing as well as for applicative uses, such as nano-materials. Moreover, being pumice free of quartz contamination, it can represent a disease model for exposure to pure non-fibrous silicates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment, Security, Territory, Food and Health Sciences-Occupational Medicine Section, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ascenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scribano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy. tommasodang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0004-6378
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaeta
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment, Security, Territory, Food and Health Sciences-Occupational Medicine Section, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Concettina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fenga
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blandino
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphological and Functional Imaging, Policlinico "G. Martino", University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazziotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D017640:Silicates / Q000633:toxicity*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D017640:Silicates; C005144:pumice
keywords: Amorphous silica; Computed tomography; Lung; Pleura; Pneumoconiosis; Pumice