Occupational lung disease diagnostic study of choice

The initial study of choice for the diagnosis of occupational lung disease is a chest x-ray. The findings on x ray that are suggestive of occupational lung disease include, pleural thickening, plaques, calcifications, opacities, and atelectasis.

• Chest x-ray is the gold standard test for the diagnosis of occupational lung disease.^[1][2][3][4]
• The following result of chest x-ray is confirmatory of occupational lung disease:
  • Pleural thickening
  • Pleural plaques
  • Pleural abnormalities
  • Calcification
  • Small or large opacities
  • Costophrenic angle obliteration
  • Atelectasis
  • Pneumothorax
  • Parenchymal bands
  • Enlarged hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes
  • Bullae
  • Granulomata

• The chest x – ray should be performed when:
  • The patient presented with symptoms of dyspnea, cough, and fatigue.

• Occupational lung disease may be diagnosed at any time if one or more of the following criteria are met:
  • Recorded exposure to an inhalant known to induce disease
  • A clearly established latency period between exposure to the noxious agent and the development of symptoms of disease
  • Clinical symptoms that are compatible with the clear features of the disease
  • Exclusion of other diseases that could possibly be responsible for the clinical picture