Asbestosis

Alternative names:

pulmonary fibrosis resulting from asbestos exposure

Symptoms:

• shortness of breath on exertion
• cough
• tightness in the chest
• chest pain
• nail abnormalities or clubbing of fingers may occur

Signs and tests:

• Listening to the chest with a stethoscope (auscultation) reveals a crackling sound.

These tests also help diagnose the disease:

• a chest X-ray
• pulmonary function tests
• a CT scan of the lungs

This disease may also alter the results of the following test:

• ACE levels