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PubMed2003

Cofactor determination and spectroscopic characterization of the selenium-dependent purine hydroxylase from Clostridium purinolyticum.

Purine hydroxylase (PH) from Clostridium purinolyticum contains a labile selenium cofactor and belongs to a class of enzymes known as the selenium-dependent molybdenum hydroxylases. The presence of approximately 1.1 mol of molybdenum, 0.87 mol of selenium, and 3.3 mol of iron per mol of PH was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Enzyme preparations with lower than stoichiometric amounts of selenium exhibited correspondingly lower hydroxylase activities. Bound FAD, 1 mol per mol enzyme, was confirmed by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. CMP, released by acid hydrolysis, indicated the presence of a molybdopterin cytosine dinucleotide cofactor. The fully active PH utilized NADP(+) as an electron acceptor, and kinetic analysis revealed an optimal k(cat) of 412 s(-1) using hypoxanthine as the hydroxylase substrate. Xanthine, NAD(+), and NADPH had no significant effect on this reaction rate. A selenium-independent NADPH oxidase activity was exhibited by native PH. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed the presence of a Mo(V) desulfo signal, FAD radical, and 2Fe-2S centers in hypoxanthine-reduced PH. No hyperfine coupling of selenium, using (77)Se isotope-enriched PH, was observed in any of the EPR active signals studied. The appearance of the desulfo signal suggests that the ligands of Mo in selenium-dependent molybdenum hydroxylases are different from the well-studied mammalian xanthine oxidoreductases (XOR) and aldehyde oxidoreductases (AOR) and suggests a unique role for Se in catalysis.

Adenine↗
PubMed2004

Selenium redox cycling in the protective effects of organoselenides against oxidant-induced DNA damage.

The biological role of selenium is a subject of intense current interest, and the antioxidant activity of selenoenzymes is now known to be dependent upon redox cycling of selenium within their active sites. Exogenously supplied or metabolically generated organoselenium compounds, capable of propagating a selenium redox cycle, might therefore supplement natural cellular defenses against the oxidizing agents generated during metabolism. We now report evidence that selenium redox cycling can enhance the protective effects of organoselenium compounds against oxidant-induced DNA damage. Phenylaminoethyl selenides were found to protect plasmid DNA from peroxynitrite-mediated damage by scavenging this powerful cellular oxidant and forming phenylaminoethyl selenoxides as the sole selenium-containing products. The redox properties of these organoselenoxide compounds were investigated, and the first redox potentials of selenoxides in the literature are reported here. Rate constants were determined for the reactions of the selenoxides with cellular reductants such as glutathione (GSH). These kinetic data were then used in a MatLab simulation, which showed the feasibility of selenium redox cycling by GSH in the presence of the cellular oxidant, peroxynitrite. Experiments were then carried out in which peroxynitrite-mediated plasmid DNA nick formation in the presence or absence of organoselenium compounds and GSH was monitored. The results demonstrate that GSH-mediated redox cycling of selenium enhances the protective effects of phenylaminoethyl selenides against peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2000

Foliar application of selenite and selenate to potato (Solanum tuberosum): effect of a ligand agent on selenium content of tubers.

The effect of a foliar spray of selenium on potatoes was investigated for 2 years. Amounts of 0, 50, and 150 g of Se ha(-)(1) were applied both as sodium selenate and as sodium selenite in water, either pure or with the addition of 0.15% of soluble leonardite as a source of humic acids (pH 7). Tuber selenium concentration increased with the application levels, both with sodium selenate and with sodium selenite, when only aqueous solutions were used. When humic acids were added, the tuber selenium level rose more markedly after the application of sodium selenate as compared to the case of the aqueous solutions; however, in the case of sodium selenite, the level showed a large increase only after the application of 50 g of Se ha(-)(1). Kinetics showed that humic acids raised the selenate availability, but no differences were found in the distribution of selenium in the tuber fractions. Foliar application of selenium with humic acids was proven to be a good way to increase the selenium content of potatoes, but the assimilation process of selenium was simpler with selenate than with selenite.

Humic Substances↗
PubMed2003

Effects of selenium supplementation on four agricultural crops.

Agricultural crops can be used either to remediate selenium-contaminated soils or to increase the daily selenium intake of consumers after soil supplementation using inorganic or organic selenium sources. In this study, four agricultural crops were examined for potential selenium enhancement. Soils containing tomato, strawberry, radish, and lettuce plants were supplemented with either an inorganic or an organic form of selenium. Two different soils, i.e., low Se and high Se containing, were also used. Statistically significant differences in appearance, fruit production, and fresh weights of the fruit produced were studied. Next, the amount of selenium retained in the edible fruits, nonedible plant, and soil for each was analyzed by acid digestion followed by hydride generation atomic absorption analysis. Finally, inhibition effects on the seeds of the agricultural plants were studied. The results show that supplementation with an inorganic form of selenium led to higher retention in the plants, with a maximum of 97.5% retained in the edible portion of lettuce plants.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2003

Studies of selenium-containing volatiles in roasted coffee.

Coffee has been an important and heavily used beverage in many cultures over a long period of time. Although sulfur species have been found to be abundant constituents, no work to date has explored the presence of selenium analogues. Investigation of volatile selenium species from green coffee beans, roasted beans, and brewed coffee drink was performed using solid phase microextraction (SPME) sample preconcentration in conjunction with GC/ICP-MS. Several volatile selenium species at trace levels were detected from roasted coffee beans as well as in the steam from brewed coffee drinks. No detectable selenium (and sulfur) species, however, were found in the headspace of green beans, indicating that selenium-containing volatiles are formed during roasting, as is the case for the sulfur volatiles. Matching standards were prepared and used to identify the compounds found in coffee. Artificial supplementation of the green coffee beans with selenium before roasting was performed to further characterize the selenium-containing volatiles formed during the coffee-roasting process.

Coffea↗
PubMed2006

Application of isotope dilution analysis for the evaluation of extraction conditions in the determination of total selenium and selenomethionine in yeast-based nutritional supplements.

Isotope dilution analysis (IDA) has been used to quantify total selenium, total solubilized selenium, and the selenomethionine (SeMet) amount in yeast and yeast-based nutritional supplements after acid microwave digestion and different enzymatic extraction procedures. For this purpose, both a (77)Se-enriched SeMet spike, previously synthesized and characterized in our laboratory, and a (77)Se(VI) spike were used. In the analysis of the nutritional supplements, the SeMet spike was added to the sample and extracted under different conditions, and the (78)Se/(77)Se and (80)Se/(77)Se isotope ratios were measured as peak area ratios after high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. The formation of SeH(+) and mass discrimination were corrected using a natural SeMet standard injected every three samples. Similarly, total solubilized selenium was measured in the extracts after enzymatic hydrolysis using the (77)Se-enriched SeMet as a spike by direct nebulization without a chromatographic separation. To establish a mass balance, total selenium was also determined by IDA-ICP-MS on the yeast tablets after microwave digestion using (77)Se(VI) as a spike. Results showed that all enzymatic procedures tested were able to solubilize total selenium quantitatively from the solid. However, the recovery for the species SeMet, the major selenium compound detected, was seriously affected by the enzymatic procedure employed and also by the matrix composition of the supplement evaluated. For the yeast sample, SeMet recovery increased from 68 to 76% by the combined use of driselase and protease. For the nutritional supplements, the two most effective procedures appeared to be protease and driselase/protease, with a SeMet recovery ranging from 49 to 63%, depending upon the supplement evaluated. In the case of in vitro gastrointestinal enzymolysis, the results obtained showed 26-37% SeMet recovery, while the rest of selenium was solubilized as other unknown compounds (probably Se-containing peptides).

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed1997

Effects of selenium and serum on selenoprotein W in cultured L8 muscle cells.

When rat L8 muscle cells were cultured to examine the effects of serum and selenium concentration on selenoprotein W levels and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, no significant differences (P > 0.05) were found in selenoprotein W levels and GPX activities during differentiation. With three different forms of selenium, selenoprotein W levels and GPX activities were shown to increase in L8 myotubes cultured in media with these selenocompounds. Selenite was utilized more efficiently than selenocysteine for both selenoprotein W and GPX activity, but selenium as selenomethionine was less available. Both the protein content and mRNA levels for selenoprotein W were affected by the selenium content of the media. Northern blot data indicated that the expression of selenoprotein W mRNA increased significantly when L8 myotubes were cultured with selenium (P > 0.05). L8 myotubes cultured in 10% calf serum (CS) versus 2% CS with or without addition of 10(-8) M selenium indicated that the increase of selenoprotein W level in L8 myotubes cultured with higher serum concentration (10% CS) is due to the higher selenium concentration in media rather than serum itself.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

A case--control study of selenium in nails and prostate cancer risk in British men.

In view of the experimental evidence suggesting that the micronutrient selenium reduces prostate cancer risk, we investigated the association between the selenium level in fingernails, a measure of long-term selenium intake, and prostate cancer risk in a case-control study among 656 British men, conducted in 1989-1992. Nail clippings were taken at the time of recruitment and selenium concentration, measured using neutron activation techniques, was successfully assayed for 300 case-control pairs and varied six-fold among the controls (0.59 p.p.m.; interquartile range, 0.50-0.71 p.p.m.). Nail selenium concentration was not significantly associated with prostate cancer risk: men in the highest quartile of nail selenium had a slightly increased risk compared with men in the lowest quartile (OR 1.24, 95 CI, 0.73-2.10); for advanced prostate cancer, men in the highest quartile had a slightly reduced risk compared with men in the lowest quartile (OR 0.78, 95% CI, 0.27-2.25). These results suggest that selenium is not strongly associated with prostate cancer risk in British men.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Serum selenium, plasma glutathione (GSH) and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)-levels in asymptomatic versus symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1)-infection.

OBJECTIVES: Antioxidant defense status was investigated in HIV-infected patients by measuring serum selenium, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, plasma thiol (-SH) and glutathione (GSH) concentrations along with the assessment of the clinical stage and surrogate markers of HIV-disease. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Serum selenium levels were determined cross-sectionally in 104 sequentially selected HIV-infected patients (83 outpatients and 21 patients with ongoing AIDS defining events). The patients were classified into three stages of the disease, I, II and III according to the 1993 Centers For Disease Control (CDC) classification system for HIV-infection. GSH-Px activities, plasma SH and plasma GSH concentrations were determined in a subset of 24 patients at stage I and 12 patients at stage III with an active AIDS-defining disease. RESULTS: Mean serum selenium levels were lower in CDC stage II (68.7 +/- 20.9 micrograms/l; P < 0.01; n = 34) and stage III (51.4 +/- 14.7 micrograms/l; P < 0.01; n = 37) HIV-infected patients than in healthy subjects (89.2 +/- 20.9 micrograms/l; n = 72) and stage I patients (82.3 +/- 20.5; microgram/l; n = 33). Serum selenium levels were positively correlated with CD4-count (r = 0.42; P < 0.001; n = 104) and inversely with levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors type II (r = -0.58; P < 0.01; n = 35), neopterin (r = -0.5; P < 0.001; n = 80) and beta 2-microglobulin (r = -0.4; P < 0.001; n = 94). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV-coinfected patients at CDC stages I and II showed markedly lower selenium concentrations compared to HIV-infected patients without concomitant HCV-infection. Serum selenium and GSH-Px activity in hospitalized AIDS patients was significantly lower as compared to asymptomatic patients and healthy subjects, whereas plasma SH and GSH concentrations were lower in both, asymptomatic -and AIDS-patients, than in the controls. CONCLUSION: The results show that stages I-III of HIV-disease are characterized by significant impairments of antioxidative defenses provided by selenium, GSH-Px, SH-groups and GSH.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Serum selenium and cancer mortality: a nested case-control study within an age- and sex-stratified sample of the Belgian adult population.

OBJECTIVE: To study the predictive power of serum selenium with regard to cancer mortality in a large sample of the Belgian population given the lack of coherence in the results of observational epidemiological studies in this domain. DESIGN: A prospective case-control study within a stratified sample of the Belgian male and female population. SUBJECTS: A total of 201 cases randomly selected from all cancer deaths (N=343) during a 10-y mortality follow-up of a large age- and sex-stratified sample of the total Belgian population aged 25-74 y were matched for age and gender with 603 controls. STATISTICS: Conditional logistic regression for both univariate and multivariate analyses using tertile distribution of serum selenium in controls. Odds ratios (ORs) are adjusted for 10 baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Unadjusted ORs of cancer deaths taking the highest tertile of serum selenium as a reference: in male subjects T1/T3 is 2.2 (CI 1.3-3.7) (P for trend 0.011), whereas in female subjects a nonsignificant OR of 0.8 is observed. In multivariate analyses, no significant modifications of the ORs are observed for the predictive relation of serum selenium with cancer mortality. Besides serum selenium, beta-carotene intake and smoking are independent predictors in male subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In this nested case-control study of a stratified sample from the Belgian population, serum selenium is an independent predictor of cancer mortality in male subjects only, in a country with rather high serum selenium levels with respect to most other European countries.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Lack of association between copper, zinc, selenium and blood pressure among healthy children.

Contradictory results have been published about the relation between copper, zinc and selenium and blood pressure (BP). To evaluate the role of these trace elements in BP regulation, we analysed the correlations between BP and copper, zinc and selenium, measured from serum, diet and hair among 3596 healthy children in a 6-year follow up. Fasting blood samples were used in serum copper, zinc and selenium analyses. The dietary intake of trace elements and energy were determined by the 48-h recall method. The hair copper and zinc analyses were performed from the naturally coloured hair samples. Correlation analysis was used to show the relation between BP and copper, zinc or selenium in each study year and during a 3- or 6-year follow-up period. The zinc-to-copper ratio in serum, diet and hair was calculated. In the correlation analyses the data was adjusted for weight and the daily intake of energy. Neither serum and diet copper or zinc, nor the zinc-to-copper ratio correlated uniformly with BP measured in the same year (correlation coefficients varying from -0.12 to 0.18) or in the subsequent years. Hair copper and zinc correlated weakly negatively with BP (correlation coefficients varying from -0.17 to -0.01). Serum selenium correlated weakly positively with systolic and diastolic BP measured in the same year (correlation coefficients varying from 0.03 to 0.14), but not with subsequent BP measured in the second or third survey. Dietary selenium had an inconsistent effect on BP (correlation coefficients varying from -0.14 to 0.26). In conclusion, copper, zinc, their ratio or selenium did not associate with BP, nor did they have any effect on subsequent BP.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Selenium speciation in enriched and natural samples by HPLC-ICP-MS and HPLC-ESI-MS with perfluorinated carboxylic acid ion-pairing agents.

Selenium-enriched plants, such as hyperaccumulative phytoremediation plants (Astragalus praleongus, 517 micrograms g-1 Se, and Brassica juncea, 138 micrograms g-1 Se in dry sample), yeast (1200, 1922 and 2100, micrograms g-1 Se in dry sample), ramp (Allium tricoccum, 48, 77, 230, 252, 405 and 524 micrograms g-1 Se in dry sample), onion (Allium cepa, 96 and 140 micrograms g-1 Se in dry sample) and garlic (Allium sativum, 68, 112, 135, 296, 1355 micrograms g-1 Se in dry sample) were analyzed by HPLC-ICP-MS for their selenium content and speciation after hot water and enzymatic extractions. Reference samples with natural selenium levels, such as onion and garlic controls, cooking garlic powder, baking yeast powder and a commercial garlic supplement were also analyzed. Selected samples were also examined by HPLC-electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS. HPLC was mostly carried out with 0.1% heptafluorobutanoic acid (HFBA) as ion-pairing agent in 1 + 99 v/v methanol-water solution, but 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in 1 + 99 v/v methanol-water solution was also utilized to permit chromatography for compounds that did not elute with HFBA. More than 75% of the total eluting selenium compounds, based upon element specific detection, were identified from retention time data and standard spiking experiments, and between 60 and 85% of compounds were identified by MS, with up to 25% of the total eluting molecular selenium species being unidentified as yet. Limits of quantification (LOQ, defined as the concentration giving an S/N of 10) for HPLC-ICP-MS were in the range 2-50 ng mL-1 Se in the injected extracts for the selenium-enriched samples and 2-10 ng mL-1 Se for the natural selenium level samples. LOQ values for HPLC-ESI-MS were ca. 100 times higher than those measured by HPLC-ICP-MS.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed2000

Determination of trace selenium in human plasma and hair with ternary inclusion compound-fluorescent spectrophotometry.

A method for determination of selenium in plasma and hair with ternary inclusion compound-fluorescent spectrophotometry has been developed. The determination of selenium in plasma and hair can be performed directly in aqueous solution. Blood and hair samples were destroyed by oxygen flask combustion. The linear range was 10-500 ng mL-1 for plasma and 10-100 ng mL-1 for hair. Within-day and day-to-day precisions for plasma ranged from 5.4% to 9.3% (n = 7) and from 3.5% to 14.5% (n = 7), respectively. Within-day precisions for hair ranged from 0.6% to 6.2% (n = 7). Recoveries ranged from 91.0% to 97.8% for plasma and from 95.0% to 102.0% for hair. The blood samples from 15 Hans and 20 Uygurs in Xinjiang Uygur automatic region and 23 Hans in Liaoning province were collected and determined. It was indicated that no statistically significant difference in plasma selenium concentration of the Hans between Xinjiang and Liaoning was found (F = 1.36, P > 0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences between the Hans and the Uygurs in Xinjiang (F = 1.01, P < 0.01) and between males and females in the two areas (P < 0.01). There was a low correlation between plasma selenium concentration and hair selenium concentration. The ratio of hair selenium concentration to plasma selenium concentration was 2.17, with a range of 1.63-2.88.

Hair↗
PubMed1992

Effect of selenium deficiency on hepatic type I 5-iodothyronine deiodinase activity and hepatic thyroid hormone levels in the rat.

Selenium deficiency in rats for a period of up to 6 weeks inhibited both the production of 3,3',5-tri-iodothyronine (T3) from thyroxine (T4) (5'-deiodination) and also the catabolism of T3 to 3,3'-di-iodothyronine (5-deiodination) in liver homogenates. The hepatic stores of T3 were decreased by only 8% in selenium deficiency, despite the T3 production rate from T4 being only 7% of the rate found in selenium-supplemented rats. Hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was increased in both hypothyroidism and selenium deficiency, but apparently by different mechanisms, since mRNA expression for this family of enzymes was lowered by hypothyroidism and increased in selenium deficiency. It is concluded that, since both T3 production and catabolism are inhibited by selenium deficiency, there is little change in hepatic T3 stores, and therefore the changes in the activity of certain hepatic enzymes, such as GST, that are found in selenium deficiency are not the result of tissue hypothyroidism.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Low platelet glutathione peroxidase activity and serum selenium concentration in patients with chronic renal failure: relations to dialysis treatments, diet and cardiovascular complications.

1. Selenium status was investigated in patients with chronic renal failure, with special regard to its relations to the dialysis treatments, dietary habits and clinical signs of atherosclerosis. 2. Serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase activity were measured in 45 patients with chronic renal failure subdivided into three groups according to the type of treatment: 15 non-dialysed, 15 on haemodialysis, 15 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. A 7-day diet history was carried out in all patients. Seventeen of the patients with chronic renal failure had clinically overt cardiovascular disease. Forty-five age-matched healthy subjects were considered as controls. 3. Both serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase were significantly reduced in all patients with chronic renal failure compared with control subjects; a direct and significant correlation was found between the two parameters. No differences in selenium status were observed among the non-dialysed, haemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis groups. No correlation between total calorie or protein intakes and selenium indices were observed. The chronic renal failure patients with cardiovascular complications showed a further significant reduction in both serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase activity as compared with the patients without cardiovascular complications; these two groups were similar with respect to the other well-known cardiovascular risk factors (age, smoking, plasma lipids, hypertension, body mass index). 4. It is concluded that a low selenium concentration is present in chronic renal failure, which is independent of dialysis and is accompanied by biological repercussion in terms of reduced platelet glutathione peroxidase activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Decreased incidence of prostate cancer with selenium supplementation: results of a double-blind cancer prevention trial.

OBJECTIVE: To test if supplemental dietary selenium is associated with changes in the incidence of prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A total of 974 men with a history of either a basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma were randomized to either a daily supplement of 200 microg of selenium or a placebo. Patients were treated for a mean of 4.5 years and followed for a mean of 6.5 years. RESULTS: Selenium treatment was associated with a significant (63%) reduction in the secondary endpoint of prostate cancer incidence during 1983-93. There were 13 prostate cancer cases in the selenium-treated group and 35 cases in the placebo group (relative risk, RR=0.37, P=0.002). Restricting the analysis to the 843 patients with initially normal levels of prostate-specific antigen (< or = 4 ng/mL), only four cases were diagnosed in the selenium-treated group and 16 cases were diagnosed in the placebo group after a 2 year treatment lag, (RR=0.26 P=0.009). There were significant health benefits also for the other secondary endpoints of total cancer mortality, and the incidence of total, lung and colorectal cancer. There was no significant change in incidence for the primary endpoints of basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. In light of these results, the 'blinded' phase of this trial was stopped early. CONCLUSIONS: Although selenium shows no protective effects against the primary endpoint of squamous and basal cell carcinomas of the skin, the selenium-treated group had substantial reductions in the incidence of prostate cancer, and total cancer incidence and mortality that demand further evaluation in well-controlled prevention trials.

Basal Cell Carcinoma↗
PubMed1999

Growing alliums and brassicas in selenium-enriched soils increases their anticarcinogenic potentials.

The concentrating of essential minerals, vitamins, and bioactive phytochemicals into human foodstuffs is of vital importance in our rapidly expanding world. Selenium is an essential micronutrient which is currently receiving much publicity for its anticarcinogenic potentials. Unfortunately, this mineral is deficient in most soils worldwide, and as a result most geographical food chains contain highly inadequate amounts of selenium. Scientific evidence in now available which shows that common vegetable members of the allium genus, especially garlic, are seleniferous in that they readily uptake inorganic selenium from the soil and incorporate it into bioactive organic chemicals. The brassicas have also been found to be highly seleniferous in nature and to produce various seleno amino acids and potentially bioactive organic selenium-containing phytochemicals. Upon consumption by humans, these selenium phytochemicals, derived from both plant genus, show anticarcinogenic potentials. Due to the high concentrations of natural phytochemicals, and the additional assimilation of selenium, the commercial or small scale production of selenium-enriched brassicas and garlic is an excellent way of introducing anticarcinogenic phytochemicals into the human diet.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2001

[Comparison of digital selenium radiography with an analog screen-film system in the diagnostic process of pneumoconiosis according to ILO classification].

UNLABELLED: Comparison of digital selenium radiography with an analog screen-film system in the diagnostic process of pneumoconiosis according to ILO classification. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine the diagnostic value of digital selenium radiography in patients with pneumoconiosis. For this purpose chest x-rays by digital selenium radiography and analog screen-film system were compared according to the ILO classification of pneumoconiosis. METHOD: After approval of the study by the local ethic commission and the Federal German Office for Radiation Protection 50 patients were subjected to x-rays by digital selenium radiography (Thoravision; Philips Medical Systems, Hamburg, Germany) and analog screen-film system of the same day within the scope of an industrial medicine preventive checkup. Four investigators rated the chest x-rays according to the ILO classification of pneumoconiosis. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated by chest x-rays according to ILO classification were rated similar by digital selenium radiography and analog screen film systems. Image quality of the digital pictures was rated significantly better. CONCLUSION: The use of digital selenium radiography in evaluating chest x-rays according to the ILO classification does not result in over- or underestimation of pulmonary pathologies. Hence, in the diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, digital selenium radiography can replace the tested analog screen-film system.

Adult↗