Occupational Lung Disease

Silicosis

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Diagnosis

In making a diagnosis of silicosis, your doctor will start by taking a detailed medical and occupational history and conducting a thorough medical examination.

The following tests may also be conducted to make a definite diagnosis:

Chest X-ray-- A chest X-ray may be taken to look for any abnormalities in your lungs. In chronic silicosis, small round opaque areas appear on the lungs.

Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) -- This test involves a series of breathing maneuvers that measure the airflow and volume of air in your lungs, which allows your doctor to objectively assess the function of your lungs.

Bronchoscopy This test involves the passage of a flexible fiberoptic scope about the diameter of a pencil into the lungs to obtain fluid and sometimes tissue samples to aid in diagnosis.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated January 22, 2009