Errori di diagnosi e patologia professionale non riconosciuta: Il ruolo fondamentale del medico del lavoro nella pratica clinica

We describe four cases of diagnoses made at the Institute of Occupational Health in Milan which were revealed to be mistaken and were subsequently reanalyzed by us in the light of possible occupational etiopathogenesis. They regard the following diagnoses: lung cancer metastasis, sarcoidosis, lung cancer, and pleural thickenings of unknown origin. After the cases were reviewed and further diagnostic procedures performed, two cases received a final diagnosis of silicosis and two others proved to be asbestos pleural plaques, confirming the significance of the role of the occupational physician in clinical practice.