features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Clinical features:
- progressive dyspnoea
- clubbing
- bilateral end-inspiratory crackles
Investigations:
- CXR - diffuse bilateral shadowing, honeycomb lung. There may be pleural plaques which are an indicator of previous exposure to asbestos. However, pleural plaques do not indicate lung disease or any increased risk over similarly exposed subjects of developing a tumour.
- Lung function tests - severe restrictive ventilatory defect; reduced gas transfer.
Lung fibrosis not detectable on CXR may be revealed on CT scan.