ABSTRACT
I. Introduction Asbestos has attracted attention for centuries, first because of its valuable physical properties, but sadly for the last 50 to 80 years, mostly because of its multiple and varied pulmonary health effects ranging from simple pleural plaques to extensive pleural and parenchymal fibrosis to malignancy. The benign pleural manifestations, including circumscribed pleural plaques, benign pleural effusions, diffuse pleural thickening, and rounded atelectasis, are the focus of this chapter. Mesothelioma is discussed elsewhere in this volume.
