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Pneumoconiosis

**Pneumoconiosis**
*Classification & external resources*
ICD-10	J60.-J65.
ICD-9	500-505
DiseasesDB	31746
MeSH	D011009

Pneumoconiosis is an occupational lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust. Depending on the type of dust, variants of the disease are considered.

Types include:

Coalworker's pneumoconiosis (also known as "black lung") - coal dust
Asbestosis - asbestos dust
Silicosis (also known as "grinder's disease") - silica dust
Bauxite fibrosis - bauxite dust
Berylliosis - beryllium dust
Siderosis - iron dust
Byssinosis - cotton dust
Labrador Lung (found in miners in Labrador, Canada) - mixed dust, including iron, silica and anthophyllite, a type of asbestos

Pneumoconiosis in combination with multiple pulmonary rheumatoid nodules in rheumatoid arthritis patients is known as Caplan's syndrome.^[1]

Additional recommended knowledge

Essential Laboratory Skills Guide

Correct Test Weight Handling Guide: 12 Practical Tips

Other Work-related Lung Diseases

Popcorn workers lung disease - Diacetyl emissions and airborne dust from butter flavorings used in microwave popcorn production

Popular culture references

A longer, factitious term is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
In the classic British film Brief Encounter (1945), derived from a Noel Coward play, housewife Laura (Celia Johnson) and physician Alec (Trevor Howard) begin an affair. She is desperately mesmerized in a train station lounge by his evocation of his passion for pneumoconioses:

Laura: “You were saying about the coal mines…”

Alec: “Oh yes, the inhalation of coal dust…That’s one specific form of the disease. It’s called anthracosis.”

Laura [Tenderly]: “What are the others?”

Alec: “Chalicosis. That comes from metal dust. Steel works, you know…”

Laura [Breathlessly]: “Yes, of course… Steel works…”

Alec: “And silicosis… That’s stone dust… Gold mines…”

Laura [Almost swooning]: “I see…”

Bell rings

Laura: “There’s your train.”

Alec: “Yes.”

Laura: “You mustn’t miss it.”

Alec: “No.”