Six cases of pulmonary siderosis caused by iron and its compounds
10.3760/cma.j.cn121094-20241119-00530
- VernacularTitle:铁及其化合物粉尘肺沉着病6例
- Author:
Pingping SONG
1
;
Hua ZHANG
;
Xiaowei SUN
;
Limei LUO
;
Jingjing ZHANG
;
Jianjian HAN
Author Information
1. 康复大学青岛中心医院（青岛市中心医院）职业病科，青岛 266000
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Iron;
Pulmonary siderosis;
Welder's pneumoconiosis;
High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT);
Occupational exposure;
Artificial intelligence
- From:
Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases
2025;43(11):854-856
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Pulmonary siderosis caused by iron and its compound dust is prone to misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis due to its insidious exposure pathways and non-specific imaging manifestations. This study analyzes the occupational histories and clinical data of six patients with occupational pulmonary siderosis diagnosed at Qingdao Central Hospital between January 2017 and December 2023, summarizes its characteristics, and evaluates the value of AI-assisted diagnosis. All six patients were male, with five being welders. The median dust exposure duration was 9.4 years, and the median latency period was 8.4 years. The main symptoms were chest tightness, cough, and shortness of breath. High-kilovolt chest radiographs were negative in four cases and showed thickened bronchovascular markings in two cases. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) revealed centrilobular nodules and tree-in-bud opacities in all cases. Pulmonary siderosis caused by iron and its compound dust is characterized by mild symptoms and a favorable prognosis. Comprehensive assessment and HRCT are crucial for early diagnosis. The development of AI models could enhance diagnostic recognition efficiency and promote precision diagnosis in the future.
