Document 9JQa0yG44rLmx1NBOY6NgMw0R

FILE NAME: New York State & NY Times (NY) DATE: 1970 Dec 16 DOC#: NY027 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NYT Article - New International Code Aids X-Ray Study in Black Lung Disease New International Code Aids X-Ray Study in Black Lune Disease By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN Special to The New York Times Nw York Times (1857-Currentfile); Dec 16, 1970; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2002) N ew International Code Aids X-Ray Study in BlackLunDisease By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN Special to The New York Tlm ei ray, the patient of transferring has the option -- at no loss haled by miners ing on barges, or men work for example^ X-ray abnormalities, Dr. Lain- man Kodak Company of Roch DENVER, Dec. 14--A group in salary -- to a new job in a less dusty area of the mine, if it can produce lung damage that appears opaque, or white, hart said, and decided classification that was on a ester, to make 100 high quality made copies of the teaching films, of 118 practicing physicians have just completed a two-day the X-ray changes are more advanced, the coal worker can on chest X-rays. Lung damage, by the International Union thus facilitating Against Cancer (pneumoconio struction. ' the course in course here that taught them apply for Social Security dis often mimicking ses, can result pneumoconio from diseases sis is not a cancer). The code The coded data that physi- how to use a new international code to classify the abnormal ability. aim of the law," Dr. produced, for example, by tox ic metals such as cadmium was published last July in a medical journal called Chest sians submit on and the X-rays co al, workers will be sent white spots that appear on William S. Lainhart of the Pub` lie Health Service said in an and berylium. By'noting which area of the The classification is a short to the Appalachian Laboratories hand system for recording and for Occupation Respiratory Dis chest X-rays of coal workers interview, "is to arrest further lung is damaged, radiologists standardizing the various X- ease Center at Morgantown, with black, lung disease. Doctors said that the course progression of the black lung disease." Dr. Lainhart is an can often distinguish between the various pheumoconioses. ray changes resulting inhalation. from dust W. Va. Epidemiologists there expect to use the data, to un and the code were designed to epidemiologist with the Bureau Because these diseases can To teach the system, the derstand, diagnose and con carry out provisions of a Fed of Occupational Safety Health in Cincinnati. and produce seen" on similar . changes as X-rays, radiologists service and the two medical trol black lung and organizations began last June inhalation diseases. other dust eral law concerning the 'health Depending on the severity can have difficulty in making to give the course in six cities of the 100,000 coal workers in of the disease, coal workers a more precise diagnosis than to physicians caring' for coal 4*500 mines in 23 states. The can suffer from chest pain, pneumoconioses. workers. The physicians here Public Health Service, the cough, shortness of breath and easy fatigup on exercise. Problem of Diagnosis are among the 900 doctors who are e je c te d to have volun American College of Radiology Their skin can turn bide or Sometimes, for example, the teered for the course by the and the American College of Chest Physicians sponsored the cyanotic. Ultimately, such damage can kill from a lung type lung covering caild the pleura becomes abnormally thickened tune the last session is next month in Pittsburgh. given sessions. of heart failure called cor pul from many of these diseases. In such cases, information Earlier, physicians took the What the doctors learned was monale. how to classify the extent of Doctors have long known about the patient's occupation course In Washington, Charles ton, Knoxville and SL Louis. and exposure to dust and oth damage that doal get from inhaling workers can coal dust so that inhalation of various dusts such as coal, quartz, asbestos, er environmental, agents is helpful in establishing the spe a Participating doctgrs sit at table facing a box illuminat ill victims can qualify for Fed talc and gaphite can- lead to a cific diagnosis. eral compensation., Under the group of, lung diseases that are Because ot these . ing the chest X-rays of patients with black lung or other dis technical Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act that President Nixon categorized as pneumoconioses. When black coal dust is iii- difficulties, the service studied ways to standardize such chest eases th at mimic it. Course directors use a new technique, signed a year ago, each coal which was developed by East- worker can have a chest X-ray taken every two or three years at the expense of the mine op erator. If radiologists find evidence of sufficient black lung damage in the coal worker's chest X- Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.