Histopathologic, Morphometric, and Physiologic Investigation of Lungs of Dogs Exposed to Uranium-Ore Dust

摘要

The most consistent pulmonary-function change attributed to carnotite uranium-ore-dust exposure (at 15 mg/m exp 3 , for 4 h/day, 5 days/week) is an increased slope of the single-breath N sub 2 washout curve, suggesting an uneven distribution of ventilation. This change was observed in dogs exposed for less than 1 year and continued through 4 years of exposure. Measurements of pulmonary resistance, after 27, 40 and 47 months exposure, showed slight age-related changes and increasing differences between control and exposed animals with duration of exposure. These two changes are suggestive of a bronchitic response, similar to the industrial bronchitis of mine workers. The most notable pulmonary lesions observed in dogs exposed for up to 4 years are: vesicular emphysema, peribronchiolitis and focal pneumoconiosis. Lesions of the major airways and upper respiratory tract, when present, were minimal in severity. Pulmonary vesicular emphysema was present in all but one of the examined dogs. The emphysema was dose-related, in that it was present only to a slight degree in dogs exposed for less than 3 years and, thereafter, increased in severity. Morphometric measurement data confirmed the value of the histopathologic grading system for the degree of emphysema. These data correlated best with the dynamic pulmonary compliance measurements. (ERA citation 07:012374)