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Asbestos content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A comparison of light and scanning electron microscopic analysis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Roggli, VL; Coin, PG; MacIntyre, NR; Bell, DY
Published in: Acta Cytol
1994

We studied the asbestos content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from 9 patients with asbestosis, 17 asbestos exposed but without asbestosis, 15 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and 9 nonexposed volunteers. The cellular lavage pellet was digested and filtered for asbestos body (AB) quantification by light microscopy (LM) and analysis of numbers and types of uncoated fibers (UF) by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray analysis. BALF of asbestosis patients had significantly higher AB content than that of the combined IPF and volunteer groups. The UF content as determined by SEM was similar in all four groups. Commercial amphiboles (amosite or crocidolite) were identified more frequently in BALF from patients with asbestosis than from the other groups. ABs were detected by SEM only in highly exposed individuals. We conclude that the findings of > 1 AB per 10(6) cells or 1 AB/mL BALF by LM and of ABs or commercial amphibole fibers by SEM are indicative of considerable exposure to asbestos in the majority of cases.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Acta Cytol

ISSN

0001-5547

Publication Date

1994

Volume

38

Issue

4

Start / End Page

502 / 510

Location

Switzerland

Related Subject Headings

  • Pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Male
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial
  • Humans
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Asbestosis
  • Asbestos
  • Aged
 

Citation

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MLA
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Roggli, V. L., Coin, P. G., MacIntyre, N. R., & Bell, D. Y. (1994). Asbestos content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A comparison of light and scanning electron microscopic analysis. Acta Cytol, 38(4), 502–510.
Roggli, V. L., P. G. Coin, N. R. MacIntyre, and D. Y. Bell. “Asbestos content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A comparison of light and scanning electron microscopic analysis.Acta Cytol 38, no. 4 (1994): 502–10.
Roggli VL, Coin PG, MacIntyre NR, Bell DY. Asbestos content of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A comparison of light and scanning electron microscopic analysis. Acta Cytol. 1994;38(4):502–510.
Journal cover image

Published In

Acta Cytol

ISSN

0001-5547

Publication Date

1994

Volume

38

Issue

4

Start / End Page

502 / 510

Location

Switzerland

Related Subject Headings

  • Pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Male
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial
  • Humans
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Asbestosis
  • Asbestos
  • Aged