Findings on Chest X ray??

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

If the radiologist finds something on a chest x ray that needs follow-up, can it be something that is NOT bad?

I am just thinking of the things that can be seen on an x-ray. I ask because my mother was told that she needs to follow up with the radiologist because they "found something". She is acting like it is no big deal, but I am worried. She is a long time smoker and had a breathing test. The doctor told her that at 54 she has the lungs of a 70 year old. She always has bronchitis and definitly has smokers hack.

Can we get GOOD news?? Please help ease my anxiety.:stone She has an appt next week. Thanks!

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
If the radiologist finds something on a chest x ray that needs follow-up, can it be something that is NOT bad?

I am just thinking of the things that can be seen on an x-ray. I ask because my mother was told that she needs to follow up with the radiologist because they "found something". She is acting like it is no big deal, but I am worried. She is a long time smoker and had a breathing test. The doctor told her that at 54 she has the lungs of a 70 year old. She always has bronchitis and definitly has smokers hack.

Can we get GOOD news?? Please help ease my anxiety.:stone She has an appt next week. Thanks!

Hello, thrashej,:balloons:

I realize you are very concerned. Anytime a physician says "found something" you automatically think of the worst.

As you are well aware, this could very well be something that is benign. Many times there is something a radiologist sees and desires the PCP to confirm by clinical evaluation.

I wish your mother all the luck in the world.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
If the radiologist finds something on a chest x ray that needs follow-up, can it be something that is NOT bad?

Oh it can absolutely be something that is NOT bad. It can be something as simple as a shadow that he/she can't be identified or someting that simply needs a different view to make sure it is nothing major. I had a call just today from a radiologist about this very same thing and he confided that he is sure it is nothing(25-year old nonsmoker, no chronic resp. illnesses) but you have to do what is right clinically and confirm it with another view.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
If the radiologist finds something on a chest x ray that needs follow-up, can it be something that is NOT bad?

I am just thinking of the things that can be seen on an x-ray. I ask because my mother was told that she needs to follow up with the radiologist because they "found something". She is acting like it is no big deal, but I am worried. She is a long time smoker and had a breathing test. The doctor told her that at 54 she has the lungs of a 70 year old. She always has bronchitis and definitly has smokers hack.

Can we get GOOD news?? Please help ease my anxiety.:stone She has an appt next week. Thanks!

My Sister in law got breast cancer about 2 years ago. She got chemo and radiation ( I think they took some nodes too). 1 year ago they did a CXR on her and they said they saw a 'spot' on her lung on the side that her breast cancer was. We thought that the cancer had mets and we were pretty terrified. Turned out to be a small local infection. She has had no problems since. She is early 40's.

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

Thank you, that is what I need to know. Siri.......I am not "well aware", on the contrary, I didn't really know you could have benign things in a chest x ray. I just think CANCER!! We will see. Thanks for the education..:p

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wanted to add my well wishes for you and your family. yes, it could be many many other things then cancer-was going to start listing things and thought that might freak u out more :D so i won't! try to be optomistic until proved otherwise. again, good luck to u!

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

Well, my mom had more X-rays done (several diff views this time) and they said they still see something. She has to go get a CT done. Could it still be something insignificant?? I am worried now.:crying2:

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A chest film can only tell that something more or less dense than the lung is present. They probably saw a 'solitary pulmonary nodule' which is an extremely common finding in people (about 1/4 of all people will have them). Most of the time they are bundles of scar tissue or old calcified areas of infection... however in any smoker the probability of something more serious (tumor) has to be considered. Therefore the next step is to obtain a study which can give more detail to the lesion. CT can look at the actual pattern of the lesion, and depending on the degree of necrosis/calcification/shape/etc radiologists/pulmonologists can get a pretty good idea of what it is. If they are still concerned about tumor, but not completely sure, they will do a biopsy.

Best of wishes. Also for your information, the breath tests that are given to patients look for lung destruction (emphysema - COPD) or fibrosis/etc... only rarely would it give evidence for tumor if one was present.

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

Any news? I hope everything turned out ok for your mom!

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Any news? I hope everything turned out ok for your mom!

I, too, have been wondering how she is doing......

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If the radiologist finds something on a chest x ray that needs follow-up, can it be something that is NOT bad?

I am just thinking of the things that can be seen on an x-ray. I ask because my mother was told that she needs to follow up with the radiologist because they "found something". She is acting like it is no big deal, but I am worried. She is a long time smoker and had a breathing test. The doctor told her that at 54 she has the lungs of a 70 year old. She always has bronchitis and definitly has smokers hack.

Can we get GOOD news?? Please help ease my anxiety.:stone She has an appt next week. Thanks!

I had the same thing happen last year and I freaked out. The same thing also happened to my mom.

The "area" they "found" was just a shadow. It happens quite frequently.

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Specializes in cardiac/education.

Well, she has not had the CT scan yet. She has smoked 1+, probably more like 2 packs/day for about 30 years, so I am very worried. She has chronic "smokers cough" and frequent bouts of chronic bronchitis and sinus infections. No symptoms right now though I guess that would be indicative of cancer. I thought since lung cancer is so deadly that you SHOULD have symptoms by the time they "see" something on X-ray, right?:uhoh21:

I will keep you updated. Thank you so much for all the replies and your continuing concern. Pray for the best. Thank you!:)

Makes me VERY glad I quit cold turkey 8 years ago. I started when I was 13 and smoked 2+ packs/day, but then discovered exercise and QUIT. I wish my mom would be so smart.

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