Caplan's syndrome (or Caplan disease or rheumatoid pneumoconiosis) is a combination of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and pneumoconiosis that manifests as intrapulmonary nodules, which appear homogenous and well-defined on chest X-ray. Signs and symptoms Caplan syndrome presents with cough and shortness of breath in conjunction with features of rheumatoid arthritis, such as painful joints and morning stiffness. [Source: Wikipedia ]