title: The relation between the extent of radiological findings and respiratory functions in pneumoconiosis cases of dental technicians who are working in Ankara.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In dental technicians, parenchymal changes caused by dust affect pulmonary functions. The evaluation of the relation between radiological scores (chest X-Ray/HRCT) indicating the extent of pulmonary involvement and the severity of functional findings in dental technicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  440 dental technicians were evaluated with chest X-Ray, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The degree of pulmonary involvement in radiological images was categorized based upon emphysema, the profusion of opacities, ground-glass opacity, honey combing and extent of pleural abnormalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the study population was 34.7 ± 8.5 and mean duration of work was 16.5 ± 7.9 years. The prevalance of Dental technicians' pneumoconiosis (DTP) was 11.1%. The most common opacity in HRCT was round opacity with a rate of 89.7%. The rate of large opacity was %14.3. There was positive correlation between ILO score and HRCT score. Negative correlation was found between ILO and HRCT scores and all pulmonary function tests (except for FEV1/FVC), while no relation was found with age, overall duration of exposure, smoking and the age ofwork onset. In Multiple regression analysis, the extent of pulmonary involvement (HRCT scores) was found to be an independent predictor of functional impairment. Functional parameter reflecting the extent of pulmonary involvement most accurately was (FEV1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is our suggestion that radiological measurement should be used along with functional measurements in the evaluation of functional impairment in mixed dust exposed dental technicians.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ergün
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Chest Diseases Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. recaiergun@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Recai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ergün
authors.forename: Ender
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Evcik
authors.forename: Türkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nadir Öziş
authors.forename: İbrahim
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Akkurt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003800:Dental Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000175:diagnosis; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004391:Dust