Which condition is characterized by pulmonary fibrosis from long-term asbestos exposure?

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Asbestosis is the fibrotic lung disease caused by long-term asbestos exposure. When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they can trigger chronic inflammation and set off a fibrotic repair process in the lung tissue, leading to scarring (pulmonary fibrosis). This scarring makes the lungs stiffer and less able to expand, causing dyspnea on exertion and a restrictive pattern on lung function tests. Imaging often shows interstitial fibrosis, particularly in the lower parts of the lungs, and may reveal pleural plaques alongside the fibrotic changes.

Other conditions linked to asbestos differ: mesothelioma is a malignancy of the pleural lining, not a fibrotic process; lung cancer is a malignant tumor that can be associated with asbestos exposure but is a cancer, not a fibrotic scarring; pneumonia is an infection of the lung tissue. The description of pulmonary fibrosis from long-term asbestos exposure aligns best with asbestosis.