Localized Pneumoconiosis Manifested by Solitary Pulmonary Nodule Mimicking Lung Cancer: One case report / 대한흉부외과학회지

ABSTRACT

Pneumoconiosis is fibrogenic disease, caused by inhalation of mineral dust. It is defined as the accumulation of dust in the lung and tissue reaction to its presence and the dust is considered to be an aerosal of solid and inanimate particles. It is among the most common and the most important occupational lung disease, especially in developing countries. It is required three prerequisites for making a clinical diagnosis of pneumoconiosis 1) a full clinical and occupational history together with the result of physical examination; 2) previous X-ray for comparison; and 3) a clear understanding of the time scale involved in the progression of the diseases. Most pneumoconiosises are slow to evolve and changes in the appearances take many months -usually years- to occur. Pneumoconiosis is represented on a plain X-ray of the chest as multiple small round opacities, usually smaller than 1cm diameter. In 58 years old female patient, pneumoconiosis is manifested as 5 X 4 X 3cm sized solitary pulmonary nodule without any occupational history and past histoty of exposure of dust. so we treated this case with right upper lobectomy. Therefore we report this case with a brief review of literatures.