Nakagawa Y, Shimazu K, Ebihara M, Amann K
Department of Internal Medicine, National Kumamoto South Hospital, Japan.
Nihon Kokyuki Gakkai Zasshi. 1999 Jan;37(1):20-4.
Matsubase town (where our hospital is located) has a history of environmental exposure to asbestos. We reviewed the clinical and radiological features of 8 patients with round atelectasis associated with asbestos exposure who had been examined at our hospital between 1988 and 1997. The subjects were followed up over a period ranging from 6 months to 10 years (mean: 54 months). Round tumors were detected in 6 of the patients by chest CT scans but not by chest X-ray films. Five of those patients underwent transbronchial lung biopsies, and 1 was examined by bronchography. Two patients had a history of pleural effusion. Seven of the patients exhibited round atelectasis in their lower lung fields. The clinical course of round atelectasis was unchanged in all patients. Although round atelectasis is sometimes suspected of being bronchial carcinoma, it can be diagnosed without thoracotomy, on the basis of the patient's medical history and a careful examination of radiological findings.
松基町（我院所在地区）存在石棉环境暴露史。我们回顾了1988年至1997年间在我院接受检查的8例与石棉暴露相关的圆形肺不张患者的临床和放射学特征。对这些受试者进行了6个月至10年不等（平均：54个月）的随访。6例患者通过胸部CT扫描检测到圆形肿物，但胸部X线片未检测到。其中5例患者接受了经支气管肺活检，1例接受了支气管造影检查。2例患者有胸腔积液病史。7例患者下肺野出现圆形肺不张。所有患者圆形肺不张的临床病程均无变化。尽管圆形肺不张有时被怀疑为支气管癌，但根据患者病史和仔细检查放射学表现，无需开胸手术即可诊断。
