Characterizing Chest Radiographic Patterns of Regular, Primary, & Small Pneumoconiotic Opacities in New Mexico Coal Miners

Abstract

Characterizing chest radiographic patterns of small opacities in New Mexico coal miners Mueez Rehman, Nour Assad, Charles Pollard, Orrin Myers, Xin Wang Shore, Linda Cook, and Akshay Sood Abstract: Rationale: Previous literature cites chest radiograph pneumoconiosis opacities to be different for Coal Miners vs other mineral miners. Our objective was to characterize chest radiograph patterns and compare the findings with other resource miners. Methods: Our chest radiographs and B- Reads were taken from a small cohort of coal miners in rural New Mexico, who had opacities consistent with pneumoconiosis. The chest radiograph patterns were characterized and compared to chest radiographs of non-coal miners diagnosed with pneumoconiosis. The primary study outcome was the chest radiographic pattern, determined by factors such as: shape, size, zonal development, and profusion score. The study predictor was the mining status with coal miners classified as 1. exclusively coal miners and 2. mixed coal and non-coal miners, and 3. Never coal miners (Control) Results: Our data showed no difference in chest radiograph patterns of opacities between coal miners and other resource miners. Furthermore, we found 95% of pneumoconiosis patterns to be the same between coal miners and other mineral miners. Conclusions: According to our data, the patterns for pneumoconiosis are the same amongst coal and non-coal miners. 1. Laney, A. Scott, and Edward L. Petsonk. “Small Pneumoconiotic Opacities on U.S. Coal Worker Surveillance Chest Radiographs Are Not Predominantly in the Upper Lung Zones.” American Journal of Industrial Medicine 55, no. 9 (September 2012): 793–98. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22049.