What Is Pleural Plaques

By Tedy ErL


Pleural plaques are rigid deposits, which occur as a result of exposure to asbestos, especially asbestos fibers, which have grown on the surface of the lungs, and appeared in a body part in a long time.

They do not cause respiratory injury or shortness of breath and other asbestos disease do, but for those who suffer with them, they give rise to deep concern. Because they suggest asbestos, which means that the patient is a higher risk of mesothelioma and other serious illnesses caused by asbestos.

However, normal lung function could be disrupted if the plaque in size is sufficient, because it can cause a decrease in ventilation capacity, although at a lower level of disease such as pleural fibrosis.

It is difficult to determine the number of people suffering from pleural plaques, because there are so many factors of uncertainty by definition, such cases, the long follow-up, and data sources. But considering these variations, it is estimated that between a third and half of those affected by asbestos in the workplace end up suffering from stiff plaques thirty years after exposure and 10% expected to have uncalcified plaque in the twenty years thereafter.

Therefore, using the corpse is a more effective method when it comes to identifying pleural plaques in the lungs. 

Suffering from these plaques are not the only indicator of exposure to asbestos fibers and its, because there are many cases where a patient has no signs of pleural plaques and even the fiber burden as a patient with pleural plaques.