Incremental value of oblique chest radiographs in the diagnosis of asbestos‐induced pleural disease

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To assess the value of oblique chest radiographs in the diagnosis of asbestos‐related pleural disease, we identified 100 asbestos‐exposed construction workers and provided separate interpretations of the postero‐anterior (PA), left anterior oblique (LAO), and right anterior oblique (RAO) projections using the International Labour Office (ILO) system. We found that the LAO projection identified left‐sided pleural thickening more effectively than the PA view and the RAO view improved diagnosis of right‐sided disease comparably. Of 62 cases of bilateral pleural thickening, only 43 (68%) were diagnosed by the PA projection alone. The increased diagnostic efficiency of approximately 50% in identifying bilateral pleural thickening appears to justify the routine use of oblique chest films in screening asbestos‐exposed populations. Since bilateral pleural thickening among asbestos‐exposed workers is an indicator of significant asbestos exposure and increased risk of other asbestos‐induced conditions, early detection of this abnormality can lead to interventions designed to reduce asbestos‐related morbidity and mortality.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: