Are miliary shadows on the lungs serious?

If miliary shadows are found on the lungs during a lung examination, it means that the patient is likely to have nitrogen oxide poisoning. Since nitrogen oxides contain a large number of compounds, such as nitrous oxide and nitric oxide, the patient will experience congestion, nausea, and thickening of the lung texture. In severe cases, it can also lead to coma and suffocation. So are miliary shadows on the lungs serious?

First, are miliary shadows on the lungs serious ? They are very serious. Chest X-rays of patients with nitrogen oxide poisoning show that both lungs are covered with miliary shadows. Nitrogen oxides include various compounds, such as nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (N0), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrogen trioxide (N2O3), nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) and nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5). Except for nitrogen dioxide, other nitrogen oxides are extremely unstable. When exposed to light, moisture or heat, they turn into nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide, and nitric oxide turns into nitrogen dioxide. Therefore, what people are exposed to in occupational environments is a mixture of several gases, often called smoke (gas), which are mainly nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, with nitrogen dioxide being the main component.

Second, acute mild poisoning usually occurs after a latent period of several hours to 72 hours of inhalation of nitrogen oxides, with symptoms such as chest tightness, cough, sputum, mild headache, dizziness, weakness, palpitations, nausea, fever, etc.; mild congestion of the conjunctiva and nasopharynx and scattered dry sounds in the lungs. Chest X-rays may show enhanced lung texture or blurred edges of lung texture. Blood gas analysis: When breathing air, the arterial oxygen partial pressure may be lower than the expected value by 1.33~2.66kPa (10~20mmHg). Acute moderate poisoning causes breathing difficulties, chest tightness, increased coughing, sputum or blood-tinged sputum, often accompanied by dizziness, headache, weakness, palpitations, nausea, and mild cyanosis. There are dry or scattered wet sounds in both lungs. The total white blood cell count increases. Chest X-rays may show decreased lung field transparency, increased, disordered, blurred lung texture, and reticular shadows; or local or scattered dot-like shadows, or they may merge into patchy shadows with blurred edges. Blood gas analysis: Only when inhaling low concentration of oxygen (less than 50%) can the arterial oxygen partial pressure be maintained greater than 8kPa (6OmmHg).

Are miliary shadows on the lungs serious ? Acute severe poisoning. Pulmonary edema: respiratory distress, increased cough, coughing up large amounts of white or pink foamy sputum, and obvious cyanosis. Dry and wet sounds can be heard in both lungs. Chest X-rays show that both lungs are covered with low-density, patchy shadows with blurred edges or cloud-like shadows of varying sizes, some of which merge into large shadows. It may be accompanied by complications such as pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema. Blood gas analysis: When inhaling high concentration oxygen (greater than 50%), the arterial oxygen partial pressure is less than 8kPa (60mmHg). Coma or suffocation. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).