Why do intravenous drug abusers get talcosis?
Not all intravenous drug abusers get talcosis. The process that can result in talcosis is the intravenous injection of oral medications. These medications are ground into a fine powder, suspended in fluid, and injected intravenously. Pills contain fillers, including talc and methylcellulose, which are inorganic substances that embolize to the lung microvasculature and result in a foreign body giant cell granulomatous reaction, which may appear as small nodules on chest radiography.
