Characterizing Lung Particulates Using Quantitative Microscopy in Coal Miners With Severe Pneumoconiosis.

Context.--Current approaches for characterizing retained lung dust using pathologists' qualitative assessment or scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) have limitations. Objective.--To explore polarized light microscopy coupled with image-processing software, term...

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Published in:Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Vol. 148; no. 3; pp. 327 - 336
Main Authors: Hua, Jeremy T., Cool, Carlyne D., Lowers, Heather A., Go, Leonard H. T., Zell-Baran, Lauren M., Sarver, Emily A., Almberg, Kirsten S., Pang, Kathy D., Majka, Susan M., Franko, Angela D., Vorajee, Naseema I., Cohen, Robert A., Rose, Cecile S.
Format: pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: College of American Pathologists Mar2024
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Mar2024
      vid: 148
      iid: 3
      pid: 2550
      pub: College of American Pathologists
      place: Northfield, Illinois
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        175867463
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        10.5858/arpa.2022-0427-OA
        175867463
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        atl: Characterizing Lung Particulates Using Quantitative Microscopy in Coal Miners With Severe Pneumoconiosis.
      aug:
        au:
          Hua, Jeremy T.
          Cool, Carlyne D.
          Lowers, Heather A.
          Go, Leonard H. T.
          Zell-Baran, Lauren M.
          Sarver, Emily A.
          Almberg, Kirsten S.
          Pang, Kathy D.
          Majka, Susan M.
          Franko, Angela D.
          Vorajee, Naseema I.
          Cohen, Robert A.
          Rose, Cecile S.
        affil: Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
      sug:
        subj:
          Anthracosis Pathology
          Pulmonary Fibrosis Pathology
          Dust Analysis
          Lung Analysis
          Microscopy Methods
          Image Processing, Computer Assisted
          Human
          United States
          Silicates
          Particulate Matter
          Pathologists
          Occupational Exposure
          Comparative Studies
          Descriptive Statistics
          Blue Collar Workers
          Funding Source
      ab: Context.--Current approaches for characterizing retained lung dust using pathologists' qualitative assessment or scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) have limitations. Objective.--To explore polarized light microscopy coupled with image-processing software, termed quantitative microscopy-particulate matter (QM-PM), as a tool to characterize in situ dust in lung tissue of US coal miners with progressive massive fibrosis. Design.--We developed a standardized protocol using microscopy images to characterize the in situ burden of birefringent crystalline silica/silicate particles (mineral density) and carbonaceous particles (pigment fraction). Mineral density and pigment fraction were compared with pathologists' qualitative assessments and SEM/EDS analyses. Particle features were compared between historical (born before 1930) and contemporary coal miners, who likely had different exposures following changes in mining technology. Results.--Lung tissue samples from 85 coal miners (62 historical and 23 contemporary) and 10 healthy controls were analyzed using QM-PM. Mineral density and pigment fraction measurements with QM-PM were comparable to consensus pathologists' scoring and SEM/EDS analyses. Contemporary miners had greater mineral density than historical miners (186 456 versus 63 727/mm³; P = .02) and controls (4542/mm³), consistent with higher amounts of silica/silicate dust. Contemporary and historical miners had similar particle sizes (median area, 1.00 versus 1.14 µm² P = .46) and birefringence under polarized light (median grayscale brightness: 80.9 versus 87.6; P = .29). Conclusions.--QM-PM reliably characterizes in situ silica/silicate and carbonaceous particles in a reproducible, automated, accessible, and time/cost/labor-efficient manner, and shows promise as a tool for understanding occupational lung pathology and targeting exposure controls.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        pictorial
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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