HIGH-RESOLUTION COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY OF THE LUNGS IN COAL-MINERS WITH A NORMAL CHEST RADIOGRAPH

Nowadays, there is a tendency to carry out high-resolution computed to mography (HCRT) in diagnosis of interstitial disease in former coal mi ners, but the validity and consequences in terms of compensation have not been validated. This study was designed to investigate HRCT outcom e (visual and densitometric) and lung function in a group of ex-coal m iners with a normal (ILO less than or equal to 0/1) chest radiograph. In more than half of the coal miners HRCT assessed nodules visually, i ndicative of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). This finding was stre ngthened by densitometric data. With increment of cumulative dust expo sure a trend was observed toward a higher mean coal workers' pneumocon iosis (MCWP) score and a higher mean lung density value. No relation w as observed between the pulmonary function tests and the MCWP score or the mean lung density. In conclusion, visual assessment of HRCT slice s is more sensitive than chest radiographs to detect CWP. Application of densitometric analysis to the individual coal miners with early dis ease seems limited because of the variability in lung density among no rmals.