[The diagnostic value and morphologic manifestation of high resolution computerized tomography in coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural pathological changes].

Objective: To analyse CT and high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) diagnostic value and morphologic manifestation in coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural pathological changes.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-one cases of coal miner patients with pneumoconiosis (0(+) type: 14 cases, type I: 46 cases, type II: 58 cases, type III: 13 cases) and 20 normal people as control group were first examined by routine CT scan at 4 fixed slices, followed by HRCT examination at the region of interest (ROI). Meanwhile, all of them had high-kV chest radiography.

Results: According to the national standard of the People's Republic of China in the diagnosis of coal miner's pneumoconiosis with pleural plaque, 68 cases of pleural disease making up 51.91% (68/131) were found (type I accounted for 17.65%, type II 63.24%, type III 19.12%). The morphologic manifestation of pleural pathology by HRCT could be classified into four types: (1) nodular type: 73.38%, (2) flat type: 18.71%, (3) irregular type: 7.91%, (4) mixed type. The pleural pathological changes were found in thoracic wall pleura (65.02%), surface of mediastinum (22.16%), and pericardium (12.80%), but not found in the top of lung and costo-phrenic angles. The thickness of pleura was often about 5 approximately 10 mm (88.17%).

Conclusion: Pleural pathological changes were not seldom seen in coal miner's pneumoconiosis. HRCT is a reliable examination method aiding routine CT to show pleural pathological changes, thus it has a great diagnostic and practical value. It is necessary to make a further comparison study between pathology and imagology.