[Benign pleural pathology of asbestos]

The most frequent benign lesions of the pleura created by asbestos are fibro-hyaline plaques, i.e. thick areas of collagen located on the parietal pleura and gradually becoming calcified. Less common is benign pleural effusion the cause of which is not always easy to determine. To these must be added an extensive pleural fibrosis with functional repercussions that are not negligible, and round pseudotumoral atelectasias. These pleural asbestos-induced lesions are often observed after a low intensity exposure, but they appear as a rule after more than 20 years of latency. While they betray a previous exposure to asbestos, they also raise the problem of possible asbestos-induced lung cancer and mesothelioma.