Positive Pathological Findings in the Lungs of World Trade Center Patients

The forensic pathological skills of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) in New York have yet again revealed the mysteries of an occupational exposure. MSMC was the medical laboratory of Irving J. Selikoff and sentinel studies on asbestos related disease attributing exposure to asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioms.

MSMC took the early initiative in medically investigating the World Trade Center (WTC) first responders. Following up on the 2001 event MSMC had conducted pathologic evaluations of WTC dust present in lung tissue of a sampling of the lose exposed to WTC dust. It is estimated that between 60,000 to 70,000 responders have been exposed.

"We found that three of the seven responders had severe or moderate restrictive disease clinically. Histopathology showed interstitial lung disease consistent with small airways disease, bronchiolocentric parenchymal disease, and nonnecrotizing granulomatous condition. Tissue mineralogic analyses showed variable amounts of sheets of aluminum and magnesium silicates, chrysotile asbestos, calcium phosphate, and calcium sulfate. Small shards of glass containing mostly silica and magnesium were also found. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) of various sizes and lengths were noted. CNT were also identified in four of seven WTC dust samples."

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