Beryllium Programs at National Jewish Health
The National Jewish Health team has more experience with the diagnosis and treatment of beryllium disease than any group in the world. We emphasize early disease detection and intervention to reduce disease progression. Effective treatment for symptomatic beryllium disease is steroid therapy that stabilizes the disease and often improves symptoms, keeping people active and in the workforce. The later the disease is detected, the greater the health consequences.
Our comprehensive diagnostic capabilities include:
- Complete medical history and physical examination conducted by board-certified specialists
- Pulmonary function testing
- Exercise tolerance testing and assessment of gas exchange
- Diagnostic chest imaging, including in-house B-readers for chest x-rays
- Facilities for performing bronchoscopy, lavage, and lung biopsy
- Clinical laboratory testing including immunologic tests for beryllium sensitization and disease
- Medical record review
- Review of exposure sampling data
We also coordinate with local health care providers as appropriate to ensure effective diagnosis and case management.
Assessing a Company's Beryllium Exposure and Related Health Risks
The Industrial Outreach Program at National Jewish Health offers a comprehensive array of services, which can be tailored to meet a company’s individual needs. We are composed of occupational and environmental medicine specialists, certified industrial hygienists, epidemiologists, immunologists, biostatisticians, laboratory technologists, health educators, and contract coordinators. Working together, our multidisciplinary team provides a range of services to numerous private and government beryllium-using facilities across the U.S., including BeLPT testing, clinical evaluation, exposure sampling, medical surveillance program design or review, risk assessment, on-site and web-based beryllium education, respirator fit testing, and industrial hygiene evaluation and design.
For more information on any of our beryllium-related services, including BeLPTs, clinical evaluation services, industrial hygiene , educational presentations, and consulting, please contact us at beryllium@njc.org, or 1-800-423-8891, x1722.
Educational Programs Related to Beryllium Sensitization or Chronic Beryllium Disease
Below we have included links to National Jewish Health faculty publications, staff profiles, our Beryllium Voice newsletter, FAQs on the BeLPT, beryllium sensitization, and CBD, and upcoming conferences that focus on beryllium disease and current research. For information on custom-tailored offerings, including web-based training and on-site presentations, please contact us at beryllium@njc.org or 1-800-423-8891, x1722.
Additional Information on Beryllium
Additional information about beryllium can be found on the following Web sites:
