Asbestos-Related Pulmonary Disease

Question 1

What is the usual distribution of asbestosis? Is it benign or malignant? What are the diagnostic features?

Answer 1

• Basal and peripheral lungs
• Benign
• History, latency > 20y, pleural plaques, asbestos bodies, not other diseases

Question 2

What are the imaging features of mesothelioma? What is the diagnostic gold-standard test?

Answer 2

• Pleural effusion (75%)
• Nodular pleural thickening
• Pleural plaques
• Reduced volume of affected hemithorax
• Possible chest wall or diaphragm extension/invasion
• Thoracoscopy