Mineral dust airway disease is a general term used to describe complications due to inhaled mineral dust causing

fibrosis Fibrosis, also known as fibrotic scarring, is a pathological wound healing in which connective tissue replaces normal parenchymal tissue to the extent that it goes unchecked, leading to considerable tissue remodelling and the formation of perma ...

and narrowing of primarily the

respiratory bronchioles The bronchioles or bronchioli (pronounced ''bron-kee-oh-lee'') are the smaller branches of the bronchial airways in the lower respiratory tract. They include the terminal bronchioles, and finally the respiratory bronchioles that mark the start o ...

. It is a part of a group of disorders known as

pneumoconioses 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, silico ...

which is characterized by inhaled mineral dust and the effects on the lungs. __TOC__

Types

The three main types of

are Asbestosis (caused by inhaling asbestos), Silicosis (caused by inhaling silica), and Coal Workers

A.K.A Black Lung (caused by inhaling coal dust). There are other forms called Mixed Dust

(caused by inhaling more than one mineral) and Byssinosis (caused by inhaling cotton dust). These two forms are less common and doctors do not often encounter them. Other forms can develop from inhaling a number of different minerals including but not limited to; aluminum, antimony, barium, graphite, iron, kaolin, mica, and talc.

Symptoms and signs

Shortness of breath, Wheezing, Coughing.

Causes

Breathing in or inhaling inorganic dust.

Diagnosis

Chest X-ray, CT scan of the chest, Pulmonary function tests.

References

Respiratory diseases {{respiratory-disease-stub