Abstract:

Pneumoconiosis is the most prevalent and devastating statutory occupational disease in China. High-kilovoltage and digital radiography (DR) posteroanterior chest radiographs have long served as the core diagnostic modality, yet they have inherent limitations, including anatomical superimposition, low detection rate of early lesions, and limited capacity for differential diagnosis. In recent years, chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has been increasingly applied in pneumoconiosis screening and diagnosis. However, the absence of unified standards for scanning protocols, image reconstruction and interpretation criteria has led to considerable quality disparities across institutions and low inter-observer diagnostic consistency, which severely undermines the credibility of diagnosis and occupational disease appraisal. Issued in 2023, Technical Guidelines of Chest CT for Aided Diagnosis of Pneumoconiosis (T/WSJD 32—2023) is China’s first dedicated group standard for CT-aided pneumoconiosis diagnosis. Developed through a six-year evidence-based research process, it follows the technical pathway of “expert consensus first, group standard second”, and is established based on large-sample imaging data and multiple rounds of clinical validation. Grounded in the standard’s formulation background and methodological evidence, this paper systematically interprets its scope and application positioning, terminology system, whole-process technical specifications, reconstruction and post-processing requirements, and quality control system. It further analyzes its bridging value with Technical Specifications for Occupational Health Surveillance (GBZ 188—2025) and the forthcoming revised version of Diagnosis of Occupational Pneumoconiosis (GBZ 70), and puts forward clinical application recommendations and future upgrading directions. This paper aims to guide occupational disease diagnosticians to accurately understand the core connotation of the standard, standardize CT-aided diagnosis practices, and improve diagnostic consistency and accuracy.

Key words: Pneumoconiosis, Tomography, X-ray computed, Diagnosis, Guidebooks