Silicosis Flashcards
what is silicosis
Nodular fibrosing disease due to inhalation of silica in workers engaged is sandblasting, hard rock mining, foundry work, glass and pottery making.
The most common chronic occupational disease in the world
Silicosis
crystalline from where that are most commonly implicated in silicosis
silica called quartz
Co-inhalation of other minerals particles reduced what?
Fibrogenic effects of silicosis
The silicosis affects which parts of the lungs the most
Upper lobes of the lung
The silicosis is associated with the increase susceptibilty of which disease
TB
The chest X ray for silicosis shows what?
Chest X-ray shows presence of Eggshell calcification (thin sheet of calcification in the lymph node surrounding a zone lacking calcification).
Polarized microscopy for silicosis shows what?
Polarized microscopy reveals presence of birefringent silica particles.
Silicosis increases the risk of what?
Lung carcinoma
Impaired macrophages function increases the risk of what?
Mycobacterial infection
More exposure to inhaled silica and increasing length of exposure dertemie what?
More exposure to inhaled silica and an increasing length of exposure determine the amount of silicotic nodule formation and the extent of restrictive lung disease, which is progressive and irreversible.
The silica nodules compose what?
The silicotic nodules shown here are composed mainly of bundles of interlacing pale pink collagen, and there is a surrounding modest chronic inflammatory reaction
Most common pneumoconiosis is what?
Silicosis
The silica crystals that are inhaled and reach the alveoli are ingested by which cells and secretes what?
Induces which response
Macrophages
Cytokines
Fibrogenic response
The inorganic matrix of the crystaks is never completely digested, this process continues what? results to what?
Because the inorganic matrix of the crystals is never completely digested, this process continues indefinitely and is made worse by repeated exposure to dusts containing silicates. Result is the production of many scattered nodular foci of collagen deposition in the lung (silicotic nodules) and eventual restrictive lung disease leading to cor pulmonale
