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Relationship between radiological ( X ‐ray/ HRCT ), spirometric and clinical findings in dental technicians' pneumoconiosis
Author(s) -
Berk Serdar,
Dogan Derya Ozdemir,
Gumus Cesur,
Akkurt Ibrahim
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the clinical respiratory journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.789
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1752-699X
pISSN - 1752-6981
DOI - 10.1111/crj.12187
Subject(s) - medicine , radiological weapon , pneumoconiosis , spirometry , population , nuclear medicine , radiology , asthma , pathology , environmental health
Pneumoconiosis in dental technicians' has rarely been evaluated. Objectives To evaluate clinical, functional and radiological impacts of exposure to dust on respiratory functions via chest X ‐ray ( CXR ), high‐resolution computed tomography ( HRCT ) and spirometry in dental technicians. Methods Demographic data, respiratory symptoms, spirometry results, CXR and HRCT scans of 32 dental technicians were evaluated. The opacities on the radiological images were categorized based on their intensity. We investigated the relation of radiological scores with clinical, radiological and functional findings. Results The mean age of the study population was 31 ± 9 years and mean employment duration was 14 ± 9 years. Twenty‐two (69%) technicians had a history of smoking. The most common symptom was phlegm, while dyspnea prevalence was higher in those with an elevated International Labour Office ( ILO ) profusion score ( P  < 0.01). Parenchymal opacities were determined in 10 (31%) technicians by CXR and in 22 (69%) technicians by HRCT ( P  < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between ILO profusion score and HRCT score (r = 0.765, P  < 0.01). ILO profusion score and HRCT score showed positive correlation with employment duration (r = 0.599, P  = 0.01; r = 0.514, P  = 0.01, respectively), while exhibiting negative correlation with FVC (r = −0.509, P  < 0.05; r = −0.627, P  = 0.01 respectively), FVC % (r = −0.449, P  < 0.05; r = −0.457, P  < 0.05, respectively) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = −0.473, P  < 0.05; r = −0.598, P  = 0.01, respectively). Conclusions We believe that a combined approach including spirometry, CXR and HRCT modalities should be employed in demonstrating respiratory disorders associated with exposure to inorganic dusts in dental technicians.

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