A shipyard worker with 20 years of asbestos exposure presents with pleural effusion, calcified pleural plaques on X-ray, and normal lung parenchyma. He has no dyspnoea at rest. This presentation is most consistent with:

• A Asbestosis (interstitial pulmonary fibrosis from asbestos)
• B Malignant mesothelioma (early stage)
• C Caplan syndrome
• D Benign asbestos pleuritis (pleural disease without parenchymal fibrosis) ✓

Explanation

Benign asbestos pleuritis or asbestos-related pleural disease refers to bilateral calcified pleural plaques and/or effusion with preserved parenchyma—distinct from asbestosis, which involves lower lobe parenchymal fibrosis with honeycombing. Calcified pleural plaques are the most common asbestos-related finding and represent parietal pleural fibrosis; they are often asymptomatic. Mesothelioma typically causes a progressive exudative unilateral pleural effusion with pleural thickening. Caplan syndrome = rheumatoid nodules + coal worker's pneumoconiosis.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.