Silicosis differential diagnosis

Silicosis Microchapters
Home
Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Silicosis from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Criteria
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
Chest X Ray
CT
MRI
Other Imaging Findings
Other Diagnostic Studies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy
Future or Investigational Therapies
Case Studies
Case #1
Silicosis differential diagnosis On the Web
Most recent articles
Most cited articles
Review articles
CME Programs
Powerpoint slides
Images
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Silicosis differential diagnosis All Images X-rays Echo & Ultrasound CT Images MRI
Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse
NICE Guidance
FDA on Silicosis differential diagnosis
CDC on Silicosis differential diagnosis
Silicosis differential diagnosis in the news
Blogs on Silicosis differential diagnosis
Directions to Hospitals Treating Silicosis
Risk calculators and risk factors for Silicosis differential diagnosis

Overview

• Silicosis must be differentiated from other diseases that cause pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary nodules on imaging, such asasbestosis,coal workers pneumoconiosis, mycobacterial, fungal, and parasitic infectionsinfections, and pulmonary malignancy.

Differential Diagnosis

Other pneumoconiosis

• The distinction between silicosis and other occupational disease (such as asbestosis or berylliosis) is made based on history of occupational exposure.
• Both coal workers pneumoconiosis and silicosis may result in the development of pulmonary nodules (diameter range from 1 to 10 cm) that are typically located in the upper pulmonary lobes .
• Beryllium-associated lung disease may present with multiple pulmonary nodules and mimic the radiologic appearance of sarcoidosis.
• Caplan’s disease is a combination of rheumatoid arthritis and coal-worker’s pneumoconiosis that manifests with multiple pulmonary nodules.

Malignant diseases

• Multiple pulmonary nodules that are ≥1 cm in diameter are likely to be metastatic disease from a malignant solid organ primary tumor.
• Multiple pulmonary nodules that are <5 mm in diameter, juxtaposed to either the visceral pleura or an interlobar fissure, and detected incidentally, are more likely to be benign lesions, such asgranulomata, scars, or intraparenchymal lymph nodes.

Mycobacterial infections

• Both tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections can result in the development of multiple nodules, which exceed 5 mm in diameter. Overall, multiple nodules caused by mycobacterial infections are relatively rare in comparison to the other characteristic imaging manifestations of tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections.

Fungi

• Multiple pulmonary nodules may be due to a fungal infection, namely histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, blastomycosis, or cryptococcosis.
• Invasive aspergillosis is more common among immunocompromised hosts.
• Nodules due to fungal infection tend to be 0.5 to 3 cm in diameter and do not have a predilection for a specific region of the lungs. Fungal nodules usually demonstrate eithercavitationorcalcification.

Parasites

• Humans acquire the paragonimus westermani infection by ingesting either uncooked fresh water crabs or crayfish that harbor the metacercarial stage of the parasite.
• Paragonimus westermani is a fluke that is endemic in parts of China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
• The typical radiographic appearance of Paragonimus is the development of multiple cavities with surrounding foci of hemorrhagic consolidation most commonly located in the lower and middle lung zones. CT may also demonstrate either linear adjacent to the nodules, suggestive of parasitic burrowing tracts.