[A case of pneumoconiosis in a dental technician].

We report a case of pneumoconiosis in a dental technician. He was a 33-year-old man who had worked in a dental clinic as a dental technician for 12 years. In October 1999, he visited to the National Zentsuji Hospital complaining of progressive cough and sputum over a three-year period. Although he received medication, his condition did not improve. He visited the same hospital again on May 8, 2000. His chest radiographs and CT films showed massive shadows in both upper lung lobes. Pneumoconiosis was diagnosed from the pathological findings in a lung specimen obtained by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). There are few reports of pneumoconiosis of dental technicians diagnosed by VATS.