Effect of cigarette smoking on the detection of small radiographic opacities in inorganic dust diseases

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Thorac. Imaging.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00005382-198810000-00008· OSTI ID:6603887

Blanc, P D; Gamsu, G

Whether cigarette smoking can cause radiographic opacities indistinguishable from those due to pneumoconiosis remains controversial. The situation becomes clearer when one limits the abnormalities to those that can be standardized under the International Labour Office (ILO) classification system. The bulk of the evidence indicates that, using the ILO system, cigarette smoking alone is not associated with radiographic opacities that would be mistaken for pneumoconiosis with sufficient frequency to be of any practical importance. The effects of cigarette smoking, as a cofactor, in conjunction with occupational dust exposure depend on the type of dust. No relationship has been convincingly demonstrated for coal dust or silica. Only with asbestos exposure does there appear to be a significant cigarette smoking-associated increase in the frequency of irregular radiographic opacities. This increase does not appear to translate into a restrictive impairment in pulmonary function. The limited information available indicates that the features of asbestosis on high-resolution computed tomography are not similarly related to cigarette smoking. Additional research is needed to substantiate the relationship between smoking and occupational exposure to dust of many types, and also the possible imaging and pathophysiologic significance of their interactions. 47 references.

• Research Organization: Ben Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Beer Sheva (Israel)
• OSTI ID: 6603887
• Journal Information: J. Thorac. Imaging.; (United States), Vol. 3:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASBESTOS
TOXICITY
PNEUMOCONIOSES
DIAGNOSIS
TOBACCO SMOKES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DATA COVARIANCES
DUSTS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
REVIEWS
AEROSOLS
COLLOIDS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SMOKES
SOLS
TOMOGRAPHY
550602* - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology