Introduction
Yukinori Kusaka^ Kurt G. Hering^, and John E. Parker^
^ Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Fukui Medical University, 23-3 Shimoaizuki, Matsuoka-cho, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
^ Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Radiooncology and Nuclear Medicine, Radiologische Klinik, Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Dortmund, Wieckesweg 27, 44309 Dortmund, Germany
^ Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, HSC 475A-9166, Morgantown, West Virginia
26506-9166, U.S.A.
Mineral dust-related lung diseases, the pneumoconiosis, have been recognized for centuries, and these diseases are especially common since global industrialization.
Recently, not only occupational, but also environmental exposures to asbestos have been recognized throughout the world. Accordingly, industrialized nations will face the highest numbers of asbestos-related pulmonary diseases including malignant mesothelioma, over next few decades. Although the International La- bour Office Classification System for the Pneumoconioses is widely used, it is de- signed for conventional analogue chest radiographs.
New modalities in the radiological sciences continue to be developed. Com- puted Tomography (CT) including High-Resolution CT has revolutionized the di- agnostic universe of phest diseases, especially for lung cancer and diffuse lung disease. Clinical radiology has used the advantages of CT and continues to explore the potential of CT to provide exquisite imaging details of the thorax. The same advantages of CT can be used to study the pneumoconioses, also disorders repre- senting forms of diffuse interstitial lung disease. CT is thus a potential tool for both clinical and epidemiological evaluation of dust diseases. Recently, trials for lung cancer screening with CT in a variety of populations have been implemented.
The primary disadvantage of chest CT over analogue radiographs is higher ra- diation exposure. Despite this disadvantage, surveillance and screening with CT may compete favorably as a tool with conventional radiography, especially if a standardized approach to classification using low dose CT, analogous to the ILO System for traditional radiographs, lis widely available. The International Classifi- cation of High-Resolution Computed Tomography for Occupational and Envi- ronmental Respiratory Diseases has been developed and now introduced by physi- cians active in the recognition and prevention of dust diseases.
The International Classification of High-Resolution Computed Tomography for Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases can assist in diagnostic evaluations of dust-exposed individuals. The Classification also provides a tool for
quantitative and analytical measurement of disease, and can contribute to medical epidemiology.
The International Classification of High-Resolution Computed Tomography for Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases is a powerful and reliable tool for international clinicians and scientists who study pulmonary fibrosis and malignancy.
