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Chest X-ray Showed Hazy Looking White Patch. On Treatment Of Pneumonia. Chances Of Getting Cancer?
Question: I had an chest x-ray done and it showed hazy 'flurry' looking white patches. I have copd,emphysema. But what could those 'infiltrates' mean? My dr. is treating me for pneumonia and I am sick but I'm not sure I trust him and am worried those white places could be cancer. Please help! Thank you very much!
Hi,
Thanks for posting the query on XXXXXXX
After going through your query, I would like to comment the following:
1. You seem to be suffering from COPD (emphysema).
2. "hazy 'flurry' looking white patches" on chest xray could denote a secondary infection for which you are currently being treated by your physician.
3. If you could upload the xray film photo or the report of the xray then I could comment more specifically on the shadows.
4. You haven't mentioned your clinical symptoms at present. Do you have cough with expectoration, breathlessness or fever? Please note that secondary infections are commoner on COPD. If your physician is in any doubt regarding the etiology of the shadows then a CT scan of the thorax will be a useful investigation.
5. You most importantly need to join a smoking cessation program as smoking is currently extremely detrimental to your health.
6. Also your inhaled and oral medications for COPD need to be continued in the recommended dosages as per your pulmonary function test reports.
7. Yearly flu vaccination and 5 yearly pneumococcal vaccination are recommended for you to decrease the incidence of such respiratory infection after the control of current episode.
I hope I have answered your query. I will be glad to answer follow up queries if any.
Please accept my answer if you have no follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra
MBBS MD DNB
Consultant Pulmonologist
Thanks for posting the query on XXXXXXX
After going through your query, I would like to comment the following:
1. You seem to be suffering from COPD (emphysema).
2. "hazy 'flurry' looking white patches" on chest xray could denote a secondary infection for which you are currently being treated by your physician.
3. If you could upload the xray film photo or the report of the xray then I could comment more specifically on the shadows.
4. You haven't mentioned your clinical symptoms at present. Do you have cough with expectoration, breathlessness or fever? Please note that secondary infections are commoner on COPD. If your physician is in any doubt regarding the etiology of the shadows then a CT scan of the thorax will be a useful investigation.
5. You most importantly need to join a smoking cessation program as smoking is currently extremely detrimental to your health.
6. Also your inhaled and oral medications for COPD need to be continued in the recommended dosages as per your pulmonary function test reports.
7. Yearly flu vaccination and 5 yearly pneumococcal vaccination are recommended for you to decrease the incidence of such respiratory infection after the control of current episode.
I hope I have answered your query. I will be glad to answer follow up queries if any.
Please accept my answer if you have no follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Gyanshankar Mishra
MBBS MD DNB
Consultant Pulmonologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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