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The Detective Work Of Identifying Work-related Lung Diseases

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Every job has its risks, but some jobs are linked to specific issues, such as lung disorders.

The risks change over time, but an expert in occupational lung diseases says the process of identifying them remains true.

From the Pennsylvania coal fields to battlefields in the Mideast, people have worked amidst dust, fumes, gases, and chemicals.

We've heard of some issues they develop like black lung, asbestos lung, and asthma, but there are hundreds of others, says Dr. Lijo Illipparambil, a pulmonary critical care expert at Temple Health.

"Like Farmer's lung. There's also Bird Fanciers' lung," says Dr. Illipparambil. "There used to be a Wine Growers lung."

Dr. Illipparambil says who develops an ailment depends on exposure, background, genetics, and still-unidentified factors.

"Some people get exposed their entire lives and have no issues, right? Others get exposed a couple times, and they end up having progressive pulmonary fibrosis," he says.

Among the first signs are a cough that doesn't go away, shortness of breath that gets worse and asthma. But because of the many diseases with similar symptoms, getting a thorough history is first and foremost.

"Because it helps us determine if there's an exposure, how much you were exposed, and some of the other background parts of your medical history can tell us - are you a higher risk?" says Dr. Illipparambil.

Questions may go back 20 or 30 years, because lung diseases can take decades to develop.

"I once got a box with about 2,500 pages of records and I went through them," says Dr. Illipparambil.

After the history comes lung function testing and a CT scan.

"Each of them has kind of their own specific way that they look on CT scan," says Dr. Illipparambil.

Occupational diseases evolve as the workplace and health standards evolve. Popcorn makers removed the chemical linked to popcorn lung, however, that chemical is now in many e-cigarette flavors.

"There's newer ones that are coming out as we get more synthetic fibers," says Dr. Illipparambil. "The earlier we start noticing something, the faster we start protecting the people who work with these materials."

Doctors and technicians do a lot of detective work in solving these cases and sometimes meet as a group to brainstorm tough ones.

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AI Lung Disease Test To Be Rolled Out In GP Surgeries

A faster and more accurate diagnosis of common lung conditions (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A revolutionary AI-powered diagnostic test for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is set to be introduced in GP surgeries across England from 14 April, offering a faster and more accurate diagnosis of this common lung condition. The technology, known as N-Tidal Diagnose, uses carbon dioxide sensors and AI to analyse a patient's normal breathing patterns, delivering results in just minutes. The rollout is expected to extend to the rest of the UK soon after.

Currently, COPD diagnosis relies on spirometry, a time-consuming procedure requiring patients to forcefully exhale into a device. Appointments can take between 30 and 90 minutes. N-Tidal Diagnose simplifies this process significantly, measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in normal breaths and providing a diagnosis within five minutes. This efficiency has led medical professionals to hail the device as "game-changing".

COPD encompasses a group of lung conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, that cause breathing difficulties. The N-Tidal Diagnose device has received regulatory clearance and CE-marking under EU Medical Device Regulations for COPD diagnosis. Its developer, TidalSense, is also exploring its potential for asthma diagnosis. This innovative technology promises to transform COPD diagnosis, offering a quicker, more convenient, and potentially more accurate method for detecting this prevalent lung condition.

Dr Ameera Patel, chief executive of TidalSense, said: "For decades, respiratory diagnostics have lagged behind other areas of medicine, despite lung disease being one of the UK's greatest healthcare challenges.

"The N-Tidal Diagnose device represents the first real breakthrough in COPD diagnosis in several decades, addressing both the needs of the patient and of the health system – and it's designed to be deployed at scale across the NHS.

"Our goal is to make respiratory diagnosis fast, accurate, and accessible to everyone who needs it, at the instant that they present."

Dr Simon Rudland, a GP in Suffolk, showing the N-Tidal Diagnose test to a patient (TidalSense/PA Wire)

It is estimated about 1.2 million people in the UK have COPD, with as many as two million people undiagnosed.

Dr Patel claims the test could help the Government meet its goal of slashing NHS waiting times.

She added: "The NHS is under immense pressure and the Government has laid out ambitious plans to change the way services are delivered.

"Its targets against reducing waiting times and using staff time more efficiently will be easier to meet with the introduction of new tools like N-Tidal Diagnose.

"This simple device can help significantly reduce waiting lists, improve patient experience, deliver accurate diagnoses and ultimately provide a better standard of care for the millions of people in the UK who have COPD."

N-Tidal is also being tested for asthma, with the hopes it will one day be used to diagnose the condition once research trials are complete.

Dr Simon Rudland, a GP in Suffolk, hailed the test as a "game changing".

"COPD is one of the most underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed conditions we see in the NHS, and because spirometry testing can only be carried out by specially trained practitioners, it can lead to sizeable wait lists for diagnosis," he said.

"Having the ability to assess a patient's lung health quickly and accurately with a device that gives near-instant results will be game-changing for respiratory care across both primary and secondary healthcare settings."

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