Etymed
anthracosis
Definition
A chronic lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of coal dust, characterized by the accumulation of carbon particles in the lungs
Clinical context
A 58-year-old coal miner presents with progressive dyspnea and a chronic cough over the past 15 years. On chest X-ray, there are bilateral nodular opacities with characteristic black specks in the lung parenchyma. The patient has a significant occupational history with no evidence of pneumoconiosis other than the carbon deposits.
Mnemonic
COAL workers get CARBON black lungs