Baritosis is a

benign Malignancy () is the tendency of a medical condition to become progressively worse. Malignancy is most familiar as a characterization of cancer. A ''malignant'' tumor contrasts with a non-cancerous benign tumor, ''benign'' tumor in that a malign ...

type of

pneumoconiosis Pneumoconiosis is the general term for a class of interstitial lung disease where inhalation of dust ( for example, ash dust, lead particles, pollen grains etc) has caused interstitial fibrosis. The three most common types are asbestosis, silicos ...

, which is caused by long-term exposure to

barium Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Because of its high chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a free element. Th ...

dust. Barium has a high radio-opacity and the disease may develop after few months of exposure. Extremely dense, discrete small opacities of 2–4 mm diameter, sometimes of a star-like configuration, are seen on the

radiograph Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeut ...

. Their distribution is uniform. When they are very numerous, superimposition may give the impression of confluency, but this does not seem to occur in reality. The hilar

lymph nodes A lymph node, or lymph gland, is a kidney-shaped organ of the lymphatic system and the adaptive immune system. A large number of lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by the lymphatic vessels. They are major sites of lymphocytes that includ ...

can be very opaque but not enlarged. After cessation of exposure, there is a gradual clearing of the opacities.

Symptoms and signs

Cough A cough is a sudden expulsion of air through the large breathing passages that can help clear them of fluids, irritants, foreign particles and microbes. As a protective reflex, coughing can be repetitive with the cough reflex following three pha ...

Wheezing A wheeze is a continuous, coarse, whistling sound produced in the respiratory airways during breathing. For wheezes to occur, some part of the respiratory tree must be narrowed or obstructed (for example narrowing of the lower respiratory tract ...

* Nasal

irritation Irritation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant. Irritants are typically thought of as chemical age ...

In some cases, it is

asymptomatic In medicine, any disease is classified asymptomatic if a patient tests as carrier for a disease or infection but experiences no symptoms. Whenever a medical condition fails to show noticeable symptoms after a diagnosis it might be considered asy ...

Diagnosis

The barium particles can be seen as opaque shadows on the chest

X-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...

s of people with baritosis. However, being a benign condition, it neither interferes with lung function nor causes symptoms other than a mild cough. After exposure to barium dust ceases, the X-ray abnormalities gradually resolve.

Treatment

Once diagnosis has been confirmed, the most effective treatment is to eliminate exposure to barium dust. When a persistent cough is present, expectorants may be prescribed to help cough out the sputum and barium particles. Cough suppressants and/or NSAIDs may be used to help reduce irritation and inflammation.

References

* http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/b/baritosis/intro.htm * https://www.epainassist.com/chest-pain/lungs/baritosis

External links

Occupational diseases Lung disorders Barium Pulmonology Respiratory diseases Toxic effects of metals Toxicology {{respiratory-disease-stub