Responders to the World Trade Center attack were exposed to toxic dust, which has been linked to increased incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, but the relationship between the amount of exposure and the extent and progression of disease is not well understood. The proposed research uses automated image analysis software to identify and measure specific respiratory and cardiovascular diseases: emphysema, pleural thickening, interstitial lung disease, and coronary artery calcifications. We will examine the relationship between these diseases and WTC exposure, which may inform screening guidelines for diseases, such as lung cancer, with long latency periods for WTC responders.
Study Design: Retrospective cohort.
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