Pleural plaque fibrosis: a clinical case

Abstract A recent case of pleural plaques fibrosis in a worker exposed since 20 years to asbestos induced us to report our experience. A 52-year-old man was seen because of chest multiple opaques of soft tissue density without any symptoms. The CT-scan of thorax with i.v. contrast showed multiple lesions of diameter 0.5-4 cm on the posterolateral pleura bilaterally. FNAB of one lesion CT guided was not diagnostic. The pleural biopsy obtained at surgical exploration showed hyaline tissue, avascular, almost acellular, with calcifications and inflammation of low grade. The pleural plaques are generally multifocal and bilateral. They usually affect the parietal pleura. The connection between asbestos and plaques is firmly established. The pathogenesis is not well known. The pleural plaques fibrosis is a benign disease and a very common manifestation of asbestos exposure; it is not related to mesothelioma and it does not need any treatment. Because of the lack of symptoms it must be searched for in high risk subjects.