[Ultrasonographic aspect of asbestos infracostal pleural plates].

The echographic study of the sub-costal pleura of 20 patients with occupational exposure to asbestos fibers and exhibiting pleural calcifications and thickenings on the chest X-Ray, allowed us to define the main semeiologic aspects of this pleural disease: horizontal striation and echo-poor thickenings of the sub-pleural region and irregularities of the pulmonary surface generating Ring-Downs. Comparison of this group with 20 normal subjects quantified this pleural thickening (pleural plaques: 5.5 +/- 2.09 mm, limit values: 3 to 12 mm). Our results are similar to those of the recent literature on this subject. The interest of the echographic study of the pleura in patients submitted to asbestos fibers is enhanced by the easy use of the echographic procedure.