Short SWCNTs induced persistent pulmonary inflammation over a 90-day period following instillation.
Pulmonary inflammation after short MWCNT instillation decreased in a time-dependent manner.
MWCNT instillation induced greater levels of pleural inflammation than did short SWCNTs.
Short SWCNTs and MWCNTs underwent lymphatic drainage to the mediastinal lymph nodes after pleural penetration.
The extent and time-dependent changes of pulmonary and pleural inflammation differed following SWCNT and MWCNT instillations.