Pneumoconiosis

Deposition of particulate matter (such as asbestos and silicon) in the lungs.

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pneu·mo·co·ni·o·sis .n(y)ü-mō-.kō-nē-'ō-səs n, pl -o·ses -.sēz a disease of the lungs caused by the habitual inhalation of irritants (as mineral or metallic particles) called also miner's asthma, miner's consumption, pneumonoconiosis see BLACK LUNG, SILICOSIS

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n.

a group of lung diseases caused by inhaling dust. The dust particles must be less than 0.5 µm in diameter to reach the depths of the lung and there is usually a long period after initial exposure before shadows appear on the chest X-ray and breathlessness develops. In practice industrial exposure to coal dust (see coal-worker's pneumoconiosis), silica (see silicosis), and asbestos (see asbestosis) produces most of the cases of pneumoconiosis. In Britain such cases are examined by the Medical Boarding Centres (Respiratory Diseases), on whose advice statutory compensation for industrial injury may be awarded.

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pneu·mo·co·ni·o·sis (noo″mo-ko″ne-oґsis) [pneumo- + coniosis] deposition of large amounts of dust or other particulate matter in the lungs, and the subsequent tissue reaction, usually seen in workers in certain occupations and in residents of areas with excessive particulate matter in the air. The definition is usually limited to conditions caused by inorganic dusts, in contrast to those such as byssinosis that are caused by organic dusts. Types range from nearly harmless forms to destructive or fatal conditions and are often named for the implicated substance, such as aluminosis, anthracosis, asbestosis, graphitosis, siderosis, or silicosis. See table. Called also pneumokoniosis and pneumonoconiosis.