Case Report of Asbestosis = Case Report of Asbestosis

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

A patient, 58 years of age, with suspected 0/1 pneumoconiosis since 1993, complained of a dry cough and exertioning dyspnea for 6 months. He had worked in an asbestos company for more than 20 years from 1974. He was subsequently diagnosed with an interstitial lung disease during an annual special health check-up for asbestos workers. A chest X-ray showed an interstitial lung disease and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) showed a round opaque asbestosis with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. A pulmonary function test indicated that the patient had a mild restrictive lung disease with FEVI 1.67 liters and 82% FEVI/FVC. The bronchoalveloar larvage fluid included many asbestos bodies, indicating previous exposure to asbestos. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX) revealed many asbestos bodies consisting of mainly crocidolite fibers (6,071×10^6 fibers/g of dry lung). The patient had an unusually high asbestos content of 6,112×10^6 asbestos fibers/g of dry lung.