Clinical, Radiological, and Physiological Findings in Asbestosis

ASBESTOS is the name given to a group of minerals composed of fibrous silicates of magnesium and iron. The inhalation of significant amounts of asbestos dust over an extended period of time can produce a symptomatic form of pneumoconiosis. The principal symptoms are dyspnea and cough, the former being usually more prominent than the latter. Both symptoms increase in severity as the disease progresses. The major clinical signs are diminished breath sounds, basilar crepitations, limited chest expansion, clubbing, and cyanosis. Clubbing and cyanosis are usually seen in the more advanced stages of this disorder. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are associated with this disease, the emphysema being more of a localized than a diffuse obstructive type. Cor pulmonale is the major complication and the usual cause of death from asbestosis. There is also an increased incidence of carcinoma of the lung in asbestosis. The most characteristic finding on the chest roentgenogram