Aluminosis – Detection of an almost forgotten disease with HRCT

62 male workers from 8 departments of two plants producing aluminium (Al) powder were investigated using a standardized questionnaire, physical examination, lung function analysis, biological monitoring of Al in plasma and urine, chest X-ray, HRCT and immunological tests.Chronic bronchitis was observed in 15 (24.2%) of the workers, and four workers (6.5%) reported shortness of breath during exercise. HRCT findings in 15 workers (24.2%) were characterized by ill-defined centrilobular nodular opacities. Workers with ill-defined centrilobular nodular opacities had a lower vital capacity than workers who had no such HRCT-findings (90.9 % pred. vs. 101.8 % pred., p = 0.01). Biological monitoring in plasma and urine revealed higher internal exposure to Al in affected workers (33.5 μg/l plasma to 15.4 μg/l plasma, p = 0.01) and (340.5 μg/g creat. to 135.1 μg/g creat., p = 0.007). Years of exposure and concentration of aluminum in urine and plasma appear to be the best predictors for HRCT findings. Age and decreased vital capacity show borderline significance.We conclude that aluminosis is still relevant in occupational medicine. With HRCT it is possible to detect early stages of aluminosis and biological monitoring can be used to define workers at high risk.The influence of the toxicity of aluminium and its compounds on humans has been the cause of much controversy for many years. Since the 1930's an 40's it has been known that high-level and long term occupational exposure to metallic aluminium powder and aluminium oxide can cause lung disease. At that time emphasis was placed on the short and long term effect of toxicity on the respiratory tract [4-7]. Recently the main discussion has been on the neurotoxicity and in particular on the controversial relationship between Alzheimer's disease and occupational or environmental exposure to aluminium [1-3]. It was assumed that under today's working conditions lung fibrosis induced by aluminium dust could not occur anymore [6,7]