Identification of Metals in Lung From a Patient With Interstitial Pneumonia

Abstract

Cobalt has been implicated as one of the possible causes of interstitial pneumonitis-fibrosis in industrial workers. This investigation is a light and electron microscopical study of a patient with interstitial pneumonitis-fibrosis. Energy dispersion x-ray analysis of electron-dense particles in the macrophages from the lung of this patient identify the particles as containing cobalt, iron, chromium, and nickel. This technique may be useful for the discrete localization and accurate identification of certain toxic elements in tissue.