Dental Technicians' Pneumoconiosis
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- Okamoto Masaki
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Tominaga Masaki
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Shimizu Shigeki
- Department of Pathology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
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- Yano Chiyo
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Masuda Ken
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Nakamura Masayuki
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Zaizen Yoshiaki
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Nouno Takashi
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Sakamoto Satoshi
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Yokoyama Mitsuru
- Shared-Use Research Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan
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- Kawayama Tomotaka
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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- Hoshino Tomoaki
- Division of Respirology, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan
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Abstract
<p>A 40-year-old female dental technician visited our hospital for the investigation of a chest X-ray abnormality. Chest computed tomography demonstrated centrilobular nodules and lung volume reduction, and her serum KL-6 level was elevated. A histological analysis of the specimens obtained on a surgical lung biopsy showed peribronchiolar fibrosis with pigmented macrophages and cholesterol clefts. An energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed that these lung tissues contained some metals, including indium. The serum indium level was also elevated. We diagnosed this patient with pneumoconiosis caused by exposure to sandblasting certain dental metals. This is the first reported case of pneumoconiosis in a dental technician associated with exposure to indium. </p>
Journal
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- Internal Medicine
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Internal Medicine 56 (24), 3323-3326, 2017
The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine
