Pneumonitis by Methylene Chloride / 대한산업의학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The authors report a case of pneumonitis caused by methylene chloride (MC). METHODS: The patient was examined and diagnosed by clinical, radiologic, laboratorial and medical evaluation. The concentration of MC in the factory was measured to determine the exposure level. RESULTS: The patient had an infiltration in chest X-ray, which underwent rapid relief of radiological finding, respiratory acidosis and hypoxemia in arterial blood gas analysis, and a ground-glass opacity in high resolution computerized tomography. MC was the only exposed chemical compound in this case. The concentration of MC was 39.9 ppm in the factory. CONCLUSIONS: We diagnosed this to be a case of pneumonitis by MC based on clinical laboratory findings, exposure history to MC and MC concentration in the factory.