Crystalline silica is found in a variety of occupations and industries, including mining, quarrying, crushing and processing, road construction, cement finishing and demolition. Despite engineering controls and respiratory protection, over-exposure remains common.
Chronic inhalation of airborne crystalline silica can cause simple silicosis and obstructive airway disease. Symptom questionnaires, standard chest x-rays, and lung function tests are used to screen for these diseases. High-resolution chest CT scans can detect silicosis at an earlier stage, but cost, availability, and radiation exposure have limited their use to confirmatory (diagnostic) testing.
Chronic inhalation of airborne crystalline silica can cause simple silicosis and obstructive airway disease. Symptom questionnaires, standard chest x-rays, and lung function tests are used to screen for these diseases. High-resolution chest CT scans can detect silicosis at an earlier stage, but cost, availability, and radiation exposure have limited their use to confirmatory (diagnostic) testing.
