Chronic Beryllium Disease Awareness, How to Differentiate Between Sarcoidosis and C.B.D.

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory & Image of Chronic Beryllium Disease - PathPedia.com
What is CBD?

How to Differentiate Between CBD and Sarcoidosis?


The clinical features of CBD are similar to many other chronic lung diseases in that the disease restricts the normal function of the lungs. Shortness of breath and coughing are the most common symptoms of CBD. In many instances, it is difficult to differentiate CBD from pulmonary sarcoidosis since the two conditions have very similar clinical, pathological and radiological features. Exposure to Beryllium is the primary indicator that the illness may be CBD versus Sarcoidosis. If you believe that you have been occupationally exposed to Beryllium, it is very important that you let your physician know.

A physician or other qualified health provider can differentiate between CBD and Sarcoidosis by taking detailed physical exams, asking detailed questions about your medical and occupational history, and requesting specific tests to confirm a diagnosis. More information about what tests physician or other qualified health provider will request to make the proper diagnosis, can be found at the following links, which are provided for informational purposes and are not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a health care professional for diagnosis or treatment.

http://www.ucsfhealth.org/conditions/chronic_beryllium_disease/diagnosis.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sarcoidosis/DS00251/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sacroidosis/htm/index.htm

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Diagnoses of chronic beryllium disease within cohorts of sarcoidosis patients http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/27/6/1190.full

For additional resources, please visit the Peer-Reviewed Publications at https://ehss.energy.gov/HealthSafety/fwsp/advocacy/cbd/CBD_pg_10.asp