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Caplan syndrome

Radswiki and Dr Frank Gaillard et al.

The Caplan syndrome (also known as rheumatoid pneumoconiosis) is the combination of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and a characteristic pattern of fibrosis.

Although first described in coal miners (coal workers' pneumoconiosis), it has subsequently been found in patients with a variety of pneumoconioses ².

Epidemiology

Affects 2 - 6% of patients with pneumoconiosis (in Wales) ⁴ and is caused by disintegrating macrophages leaving a necrotic core with a surrounding pigmented (black) dust ring and fibroblasts ^4-5.

Radiographic features

5 - 50 mm well-defined nodules in the upper lung lobes / lung periphery.
nodules may remain unchanged, multiply, calcify, or become thick walled cavities.
background changes of pneumoconiosis
may have an accompanying pleural effusion
features often grow in short bursts

Etymology

First described by A Caplan in 1953 ¹

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