The use of asbestos in industry today is far less than in decades past. Present-day application or removal (abatement) of asbestos is restricted to certified companies and their employees. Exposure can also occur in the construction trades such as plumbing, electrical, and heating/ventilation during the maintenance of older industrial structures containing asbestos.
Chronic inhalation of friable, airborne asbestos fibers can cause pleural plaques, asbestos, and restrictive lung disease. Symptom questionnaires, physical examination, standard chest x-rays, and lung function tests are used to screen for these diseases. High-resolution chest CT scans can detect asbestos at an earlier stage, but cost, availability, and radiation exposure have limited their use to confirmatory (diagnostic) testing.
Chronic inhalation of friable, airborne asbestos fibers can cause pleural plaques, asbestos, and restrictive lung disease. Symptom questionnaires, physical examination, standard chest x-rays, and lung function tests are used to screen for these diseases. High-resolution chest CT scans can detect asbestos at an earlier stage, but cost, availability, and radiation exposure have limited their use to confirmatory (diagnostic) testing.
