Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between pulmonary concentrations of asbestos bodies and asbestos fibers and to characterize asbestos body counts from lung tissue of Finnish patients occupationally exposed and unexposed to asbestos. Ninety-nine surgically treated lung cancer patients were investigated. The number of asbestos bodies in iron-stained 5-micrometers histological lung tissue sections was determined by optical microscopy, and the pulmonary concentration of asbestos fibers was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. The correlation between asbestos body and asbestos fiber counts was calculated with linear regression. The asbestos body and asbestos fiber concentrations were also compared with exposure history according to a personal interview of the patients. The average number of asbestos bodies ranged from < 0.1 to 750 asbestos bodies per tissue section. All the cases with definite exposure showed an average of at least one asbestos body per tissue section. An average of at least one asbestos body per section was, however, detected in 34% of the patients with unlikely exposure. The regression equation log (AF) = -0.429 + 0.600.log (AB) was found to predict the concentration of asbestos fibers (AF, 10(6) fibers.g-1) corresponding to a given number of asbestos bodies (AB) in a section of lung tissue. The background level of asbestos bodies in the lungs of patients with no specific asbestos exposure seems to be higher in Finland than in other countries. In medicolegal cases, the methodological variation involved in asbestos fiber and asbestos body counting must be recognized and all available exposure data should be used to produce the best possible estimate of the exposure.
Highlights
It has been proposed that the minimum criteria for the histologic diagnosis of asbestosis include the observation of peribronchiolar fibrosis and the identification of more than one asbestos body per lung tissue section [7] and that such asbestos body concentrations indicate nontrivial exposure [8]
The general knowledge on asbestos exposure in various jobs and industries can be used to rule out typical occupational exposures to asbestos fairly accurately
It has been proposed that the minimum criteria for the histological diagnosis of asbestosis include the observation of peribronchiolar fibrosis and the identification of more than one asbestos body per lung tissue section [7] and that such asbestos body concentrations indicate nontrivial exposure [8]
Summary
The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between pulmonary conceutrations of asbestos bodies and asbestos fibers and to characterize asbestos body counts from lung tissue of Fiunish patients occupationally exposed and unexposed to asbestos. Methods Ninty-nine surgically treated lung cancer patients were investigated. The number of asbestos bodies in iron-stained 5-pm histological lung tissue sections was determined by optical microscopy, and the pulmonary concentration of asbestos fibers was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. The correlatioll between asbestos body and asbestos fiber counts was calculated with linear regression. The asbestos body and asbestos fiber concentrations were compared with exposure history according to a personal interview of the patients
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