Pleural plaques are typically asymptomatic, however, there is still some controversy on this topic. An association between pleural plaques and chest pain has been reported,[7] but this has not been confirmed in more recent studies.[8] Similarly, an association between pleural plaques and a restrictive impairment with diminished diffusing capacity on pulmonary function testing has been described.[9] This has not been a consistent finding and it has been postulated that this might be related to undetected early fibrosis.[5] The pathogenesis of pleural plaques remains uncertain. The most likely explanation is that asbestos fibres reach the parietal pleura by passage through lymphatic channels where they excite an inflammatory reaction.[4] The chest X-ray is the usual tool for diagnosing pleural plaques but chest CT scan is more sensitive and specific in this regard.