Biomaterial Database

Fibers in human lung dust samples: a scanning electron microscope study. 1981

K H Friedrichs, and H Otto

Since 1977, mesothelioma has been admitted as an occupational disease in the Federal Republic of Germany, if a previous exposure to asbestos at the working place can be proven. In practical work of pathologists the question arises as to how to proceed in the assessment of necropsy cases of mesothelioma, if the patient's occupational history is unknown. In this study, 100 necropsy cases of different exposure were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Concentration and length of fibers were used as criteria to distinguish between spontaneous and occupationally caused cases of mesothelioma. Calculation of the counting results showed that a distinction between the two groups is reliable when fibers greater than 5 micron in length are counted.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D008175	Lung Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LUNG.	Cancer of Lung,Lung Cancer,Pulmonary Cancer,Pulmonary Neoplasms,Cancer of the Lung,Neoplasms, Lung,Neoplasms, Pulmonary,Cancer, Lung,Cancer, Pulmonary,Cancers, Lung,Cancers, Pulmonary,Lung Cancers,Lung Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lung,Neoplasm, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Cancers,Pulmonary Neoplasm
D008654	Mesothelioma	A tumor derived from mesothelial tissue (peritoneum, pleura, pericardium). It appears as broad sheets of cells, with some regions containing spindle-shaped, sarcoma-like cells and other regions showing adenomatous patterns. Pleural mesotheliomas have been linked to exposure to asbestos. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Mesotheliomas
D008855	Microscopy, Electron, Scanning	Microscopy in which the object is examined directly by an electron beam scanning the specimen point-by-point. The image is constructed by detecting the products of specimen interactions that are projected above the plane of the sample, such as backscattered electrons. Although SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY also scans the specimen point by point with the electron beam, the image is constructed by detecting the electrons, or their interaction products that are transmitted through the sample plane, so that is a form of TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.	Scanning Electron Microscopy,Electron Scanning Microscopy,Electron Microscopies, Scanning,Electron Microscopy, Scanning,Electron Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Electron Scanning,Microscopies, Scanning Electron,Microscopy, Electron Scanning,Microscopy, Scanning Electron,Scanning Electron Microscopies,Scanning Microscopies, Electron,Scanning Microscopy, Electron
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D010316	Particle Size	Relating to the size of solids.	Particle Sizes,Size, Particle,Sizes, Particle
D004391	Dust	Earth or other matter in fine, dry particles. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	House Dust,Housedust,Dust, House
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001194	Asbestos	Asbestos. Fibrous incombustible mineral composed of magnesium and calcium silicates with or without other elements. It is relatively inert chemically and used in thermal insulation and fireproofing. Inhalation of dust causes asbestosis and later lung and gastrointestinal neoplasms.