Which imaging finding is classically linked to asbestos exposure?

• A. Pleural plaques
• B. Ground-glass opacities
• C. Cavitary lesions
• D. Lobar consolidation

Answer: (A)

Asbestos exposure is classically associated with pleural plaques on imaging. These are fibrous thickenings of the pleura, often calcified, most commonly seen along the diaphragmatic and lateral pleura on chest X-ray or CT. They indicate prior asbestos exposure and help explain the increased risk of mesothelioma and bronchogenic carcinoma, even though the plaques themselves usually don’t cause symptoms. Other imaging patterns—ground-glass opacities, cavitary lesions, or lobar consolidation—point to different processes (interstitial disease or edema, infections or fungi, and focal pneumonia, respectively) rather than the classic asbestos sign.