The ultrasound appearance of asbestos-related pleural plaques

Twenty-five patients with a history of asbestos exposure and radiological evidence of pleural plaques were examined by ultrasound (US). Non-calcified pleural plaque appeared as a regular area of echo-poor tissue which was well defined adjacent to the diaphragm or lateral chest wall, and varied in thickness from 5 mm to 12 mm. Calcified plaques had echogenic and irregular anterior margins with acoustic shadowing beyond. They were associated with characteristic comet tail and straight line artefact.