Table 1 Clinical differential diagnosis of asbestos related diffuse pleural thickening
From: Clinical consequences of asbestos-related diffuse pleural thickening: A review
Diffuse pleural thickening due to acute pleuritis: |
|---|
   Pneumonia |
   Tuberculosis |
   Empyema |
   Connective tissue disease |
   Drugs (eg. practolol, methysergide) |
   Fibrosing pleuritis |
   Post radiotherapy |
   Post-traumatic diffuse pleural thickening eg. haemothorax |
   Post-surgery (particularly coronary artery bypass grafting |
Other diagnoses that may resemble diffuse pleural thickening: |
   Pleural plaques |
   Mesothelioma |
   Other pleural- based tumours |