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Frequently Asked Questions [Source: Energy Employees Medical Monitoring Program for Former Workers of Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National laboratories, July 2006. For other questions, please call the Medical Monitoring Program at 877-653-1962.] What is beryllium and should I be screened for it? Beryllium is a brittle, grayish metal used in certain operations at the labs. Some people were exposed to beryllium at the labs. A small percentage of those exposed may develop beryllium sensitization, an allergic reaction to beryllium metal. Those with beryllium sensitization are at risk of developing chronic beryllium disease, a scarring disease of the lungs. If you were exposed to beryllium at one of the Labs, you will be offered a blood test called the “Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test” (BeLPT) that checks to see if you have beryllium sensitization. What will happen if I get screened for beryllium? You will have about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of blood drawn for a Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test (BeLPT). You will receive the results of the BeLPT in 8 to 10 weeks. What is the Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test (BeLPT)? In the BeLPT, disease-fighting blood cells that are normally found in the body, called lymphocytes, are examined in the laboratory and separated from your other blood cells. Beryllium and other test agents are then added to small groups of these lymphocytes. If these lymphocytes react to the beryllium in a specific way, the test results are “abnormal.” If they do not react to beryllium, the test is “normal.” Experts believe that the BeLPT shows abnormal results in individuals who have become “sensitized” or “allergic” to beryllium. At present, it is unclear what this sensitization means. Studies have shown it to be an early sign of chronic beryllium disease (CBD), also known as berylliosis, in many individuals. In others, sensitization might simply mean that the person was exposed to beryllium and that his or her body has reacted. It might mean that an individual is more likely than others to get CBD. You are being offered the BeLPT because doctors believe it is useful in detecting cases of CBD early or cases that might otherwise be missed or diagnosed as another type of lung problem. What happens if I have an abnormal test? If you have an abnormal or unclear result for the first test, you will be asked to return for a second blood test to confirm or clarify the results. The second test will be performed in two different laboratories to ensure its accuracy. You will have about four tablespoons of blood drawn for this second test. What if the second BeLPT is abnormal? If the result of the second test is abnormal, this means you are sensitized (allergic) to beryllium. People who are sensitized may not have chronic beryllium disease (CBD). However, they are at risk for developing CBD. If you had beryllium sensitization, you will be advised to go to a Beryllium Specialty Center or a local pulmonologist familiar with beryllium disease to get further tests to determine if you have CBD. How can I make an appointment? You can make an appointment by calling the Dublin, California office in Alameda County at 877-653-1962. I don't live in Alameda County but I would like to have the beryllium screening test. What can I do? Screenings are conducted at several Kaiser Permanente Occupational Health clinics in Northern California. Please contact the Energy Employees Medical Monitoring Program staff at 877-653-1962 for an updated list of screening locations. If you cannot come to any of the screening locations, you will be referred to the National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP). Through the NSSP, you will be given a screening appointment at a clinic near your home. The NSSP would then notify you of the results. Who is conducting the screening? The screening program is led by the Boston University School of Public Health and the Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, with a cooperative agreement and funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Similar programs are being carried out at other DOE sites around the country. You will get the results in 6 to 8 weeks after your appointment. Of course, urgent matters will be addressed as appropriate. |
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