Electronics, Aerospace, Metal, and Ceramics Industry Employment: manufacture of alloys, ceramics, X-ray tubes, and vacuum tubes
Household Exposure to Clothes of Spouse or Parent with Above Employment: increases risk of berylliosis
Physiology
Immunologic reaction to beryllium
Pathology
Granulomas (non-caseating): typically along lymphatic routes (possibly with associated cellular interstitial infiltration/ organizing pneumonia/UIP-type features)
Diagnosis
Bronchoscopy: BAL lymphocytosis (>35%) may be seen (also seen in Sarcoid, LIP, HP, drug-induced, lymphoma)
Normal BAL lymphocyte percentage: <15%
Lymphocyte Transformation Test: BAL-obtained lymphocytes undergo transformation in presence of in vivo beryllium mineral (also can be done with blood lymphocytes, but this is less sensitive than test performed with BAL lymphocytes)