Korean J Occup Environ Med.  2005 Dec;17(4):365-371.

Pneumonitis by Methylene Chloride

• Chang KJ
• Park JT
• Kim EK
• Kim BG
• Kim HJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The authors report a case of pneumonitis caused by methylene chloride (MC).
METHODS
The patient was examined and diagnosed by clinical, radiologic, laboratorial and medical evaluation. The concentration of MC in the factory was measured to determine the exposure level.
RESULTS
The patient had an infiltration in chest X-ray, which underwent rapid relief of radiological finding, respiratory acidosis and hypoxemia in arterial blood gas analysis, and a ground-glass opacity in high resolution computerized tomography. MC was the only exposed chemical compound in this case. The concentration of MC was 39.9 ppm in the factory.
CONCLUSIONS
We diagnosed this to be a case of pneumonitis by MC based on clinical laboratory findings, exposure history to MC and MC concentration in the factory.

Keyword

Pneumonitis; Methylene Chloride; HRCT

MeSH Terms

Acidosis, Respiratory
Anoxia
Blood Gas Analysis
Humans
Methylene Chloride*
Pneumonia*
Thorax
Methylene Chloride