Pleural Plaques: The Facts

Pleural Plaques are calcified deposits which have developed on to the surface of the lung, and occur as a result of exposure to asbestos, and particularly the fibres in asbestos, and appear over a long passage of time.
They do not cause respiratory injury or breathlessness as other asbestos related illnesses do, but for those suffering with them they are cause for deep concern. This is because they suggest asbestos exposure, meaning that the sufferer is at a higher risk of mesothelioma and other more serious illnesses caused by asbestos exposure.

Having said that, normal respiratory function can be impaired if the plaques are of a sufficient size, as they may cause a reduction in ventilatory capacity, but to a smaller extent than a disease such as pleural fibrosis.

Ascertaining a precise number of sufferers and the ratio between exposure and cases as there are several areas of uncertainty, such as definition, duration of follow up and data sources,. But, bearing these in mind, experts suggest that somewhere between a third and half of workers exposed to asbestos will later suffer from calcified pleural plaques, and 10% will experience uncalcified plaques.

As the sensitivity of x-rays to pick up pleural plaques lies below 40%, due to density issues, they are indentified much more successfully in post-mortem surveys and so appear to be more prevalent in this area.

Pipe fitters and insulators are just two professions where pleural plaques commonly occur and experts have learnt from past cases that the bigger the plaque the more likely it is to be calcified as increased fiber burden is characterised by larger plaques.

Pleural Plaques are not the only indicator of exposure to asbestos and it’s fibres, as there are many cases where a patient has no sign of pleural plaques yet still as the same fiber burden as a patient with pleural plaques.

If you have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace, you may have an asbestos claim. Visit Oliver & Co’s site for more info on asbestos law.