Pneumoconiosis

Pneumoconiosis is the general term for lung fibrosis, or lung scarring, caused by inhalation of dust. Inhaling this dust causes a reaction in the lungs, including inflammation, which can lead to scar tissue (fibrosis) or small masses of tissue (nodules) forming. Many different dusts can cause pneumoconiosis leading to different types of pneumoconiosis.

The most common types of pneumoconiosis include asbestosis, silicosis, coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (or black lung disease). Other types of pneumoconiosis and their causes include:

• Mixed-dust pneumoconiosis – exposure to more than one hazardous dust
• Aluminosis (or aluminium lung) – aluminium-bearing dust
• Berylliosis (or chronic beryllium disease) – dusts or vapours containing beryllium
• Byssinosis (or brown lung disease) – dust from vegetable fibres, such as flax, hemp or cotton
• Diffuse dust-related fibrosis (or diffuse dust fibrosis or coal mine dust-related diffuse fibrosis) – coal mine dust
• Hard metal pneumoconiosis (or hard metal lung disease) – dusts from hard metals such as tungsten, tungsten carbide and cobalt
• Talcosis – talc dust
• Welder’s lung – welding fumes (e.g.. iron dust, oxidized metals such as Aluminium, cobalt, copper, etc.)

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all types of pneumoconiosis.

The first step to diagnosing pneumoconiosis is discussing your medical and occupational history, including symptoms (if relevant) and any previous or current exposure to hazardous agents with your GP. Your GP may refer you to a specialist doctor after an initial consult.

In addition to discussions with your GP and/or specialist doctor, you are likely to undergo a series of tests including: