Pulmonary Function and Roentgenographic Changes in Granite Dust Exposure

Abstract

Chest roentgenograms of 784 granite shed workers were classified according to the UlCC/Cincinnati classification, and their relationships to lifetime dust exposure, ventilatory function, and smoking habits of the workers were studied. Increase in dust exposure correlated with increase in size of rounded opacities and profusion. Irregular opacities were related more to smoking than to dust. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was lower for people with abnormal roentgenograms and decreased with greater profusion. Residual volume (RV) increased with smoking but not with dust exposure. No trend was shown for total lung capacity (TLC). A dose-response curve of dust on ventilatory function and on roentgenograms showed that the effects on ventilatory capacity took place 13.5 years before opacities on roentgenograms.