TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic diffuse interstitial fibrosis of the lung in uranium miners
AU - Archer, Victor E.
AU - Renzetti, Attilio D.
AU - Doggett, Reuben S.
AU - Jarvis, Joseph Q.
AU - Colby, Thomas V.
PY - 1998/5
Y1 - 1998/5
N2 - Many uranium miners have been disabled by and died of pulmonary fibrosis that was not recognized as an occupational disease. A review of animal studies, complications from whole body irradiation, pulmonary function, and mortality studies of uranium miners led us to suspect radiation-induced chronic diffuse interstitial fibrosis in miners who had inhaled excessive radon progeny. A selected group of uranium miners (22) with severe respiratory disease (but no rounded nodules in chest films) were studied. Lung tissue from five disclosed severe diffuse interstitial fibrosis, with 'honeycomb lung' in all. Some also had small anthrasilicotic nodules and birefringent crystals. Although quartz crystals probably contributed, we concluded that the predominant injurious agent in these cases was alpha particles from radon progeny. This disease, after a long latent period, usually results in pulmonary hypertension, shortness of breath, and death by cardiopulmonary failure.
AB - Many uranium miners have been disabled by and died of pulmonary fibrosis that was not recognized as an occupational disease. A review of animal studies, complications from whole body irradiation, pulmonary function, and mortality studies of uranium miners led us to suspect radiation-induced chronic diffuse interstitial fibrosis in miners who had inhaled excessive radon progeny. A selected group of uranium miners (22) with severe respiratory disease (but no rounded nodules in chest films) were studied. Lung tissue from five disclosed severe diffuse interstitial fibrosis, with 'honeycomb lung' in all. Some also had small anthrasilicotic nodules and birefringent crystals. Although quartz crystals probably contributed, we concluded that the predominant injurious agent in these cases was alpha particles from radon progeny. This disease, after a long latent period, usually results in pulmonary hypertension, shortness of breath, and death by cardiopulmonary failure.
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U2 - 10.1097/00043764-199805000-00009
DO - 10.1097/00043764-199805000-00009
M3 - Article
C2 - 9604184
AN - SCOPUS:0031806510
SN - 1076-2752
VL - 40
SP - 460
EP - 474
JO - Journal of occupational and environmental medicine
JF - Journal of occupational and environmental medicine
IS - 5
ER -