Table 2

Parietal pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening and lung fibrosis in the patients with retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) and the asbestos-exposed controls.
Radiological finding
 RPF without asbestos exposure
 RPF with asbestos exposure
 Controls with ≥ 10 fy of asbestos exposure




N = 16
% (N)
 <10 fy
N = 13
% (N)
 ≥ 10 fy
N = 9
% (N)
 N = 18
% (N)
Pleural plaques



     class 0
 68.8 (11)
 23.1 (3)
 11.1 (1)
 22.2 (4)
     class 1
 19.8 (3)
 15.4 (2)
 22.2 (2)
 27.8 (5)
     class 2
 12.5 (2)
 38.5 (5)
 33.3 (3)
 27.8 (5)
     class 3–5
 0 (0)
 23.1 (3)
 33.3 (3)
 22.2 (4)
DPT



     class 0
 75.0 (12)
 46.2 (6)
 44.4 (4)
 61.1 (11)
     class 1
 6.3 (1)
 0 (0)
 11.1 (1)
 11.1 (2)
     class 2
 18.8 (3)
 23.1 (3)
 0 (0)
 33.3 (3)
     class 3
 0 (0)
 30.8 (4)
 44.4 (4)
 22.2 (2)
Lung fibrosis



     class 0
 87.5 (14)
 69.2 (9)
 66.7 (6)
 77.8 (14)
     class 1
 12.5 (2)
 15.4 (2)
 22.2 (2)
 11.1 (2)
     class 2
 0 (0)
 7.7 (1)
 0 (0)
 0 (0)
     class 3–5
 0 (0)
 7.7 (1)
 11.1 (1)
 11.1 (2)

(fy = fiber years, DPT = diffuse pleural thickening)

Uibu et al. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 2008 3:29   doi:10.1186/1750-1172-3-29