Pleural calcification. Coloured X-ray of the chest of a patient with pleural calcifications. The pleura are the membranes that surround the lungs. The thickened calcified areas show as white against the dark blue lungs. Calcification may be secondary to an infection, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, or caused by trauma, or exposure to irritants such as talc and other minerals. Treatment is of the underlying cause.