absestos related diseases

Question 1

what is the most common manifestation of asbestos exposure

Answer 1

pleural plaques

Question 2

pleural plaques

Answer 2

discrete areas of white or yellow pleural thickening

Question 3

pleural plaques - unilateral or bilateral

Answer 3

bilateral

Question 4

pleural plaques CF

Answer 4

often none

Question 5

pleural plaques develop how long after exposure

Answer 5

20-30 years

Question 6

pleural plaques on CXR

Answer 6

holly leaf sign

Question 7

diffuse pleural thickening is when

Answer 7

occurs when the absents fires embed themselves in the pleura

Question 8

diffuse pleural thickening features

Answer 8

pleural scarring, fibrosis, calcification and thickening

Question 9

diffuse pleural thickening CF

Answer 9

contributes to reduced lung function

SOB and chest pain

Question 10

what may you use to distinguish diffuse pleural thickening from mesothelioma

Answer 10

biopsy of pleura

Question 11

diffuse pleural thickening CXR

Answer 11

smooth uninterrupted pleural opacity

Question 12

diffuse pleural thickening CT

Answer 12

inc pleural density

Question 13

asbestosis

Answer 13

chronic interstitial fibrosis resulting from asbestos inhalation

Question 14

caplanas syndrome

Answer 14

rheumatoid arthritis and pneumoconiosis

Question 15

lag period for asbestosis

Answer 15

40 years

Question 16

which asbestos fibres are worse

Answer 16

blue (crocidolite) worse than white (chrysolite)

Question 17

what affects disease severity in asbestosis

Answer 17

degree and length of exposure

made worse by fags

Question 18

what job roles are at risk of asbestosis

Answer 18

ship building
mining
construction
boilers and piping

Question 19

asbestosis pathophysiology

Answer 19

asbestos fibres are inhaled and deposited at alveolar duct bifurcations
activate macrophages which release cytokines which initiate fibrosis

Question 20

where does the interstitial fibrosis occur in asbestosis

Answer 20

lower lobes

Question 21

what are the pathological findings in asbestosis

Answer 21

honeycombing of the lung with parenchymal bands and pleural thickening

Question 22

asbestosis CF

Answer 22

dyspnoea on exertion
clubbing 
cough 
bibasal late inspiratory crackles 
type 1 resp failure - can progress

Question 23

asbestosis CXR

Answer 23

lower zone interstitial fibrosis, progressively involves the entire lung

Question 24

asbestosis spirometry

Answer 24

restrictive changes usually

Question 25

asbestosis HRCT

Answer 25

basal ground glass opacities

Question 26

treatment

Answer 26

supportive

Question 27

mesothelioma

Answer 27

malignant tumour of the pleura usually resulting from asbestos exposure

Question 28

mesothelioma CF

Answer 28

chest pain - dull ache 
breathlessness 
pleural effusion and or pleural thickening 
weight loss 
signs of metastases

Question 29

mesothelioma pleural fluid aspiration

Answer 29

straw coloured or bloody effusion

Question 30

mesothelioma CXR/CT

Answer 30

pleural effusion
located pleural mass of thickening
local invasion

Question 31

mesothelioma histology

Answer 31

psammoma bodies

Question 32

mesothelioma management

Answer 32

supportive, pain relief and palliative

chemo

Question 33

mesothelioma prognosis

Answer 33

poor