How Long Does Nicotine Stay In The Body?

Posted on Thu, 10 Nov 2016

Question: I last smoked (cigarete) 1 month ago will this show up on a CT LUNG scan

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (31 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
CT scan lungs

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns

I am glad to hear that you have stopped smoking. That is a great accomplishment. You are concerned though that an upcoming CT scan will show that you smoked and the answer is yes. Depending on how long you smoked and how much there will be damage seen in your scan. The main reason for the scan is to rule out cancer or other damage from your smoking. My usual rule about smoking that your lungs will take the same number of years to heal as the years you smoked. So if you smoked for 10 years it will take about 10 years to regain and repair the damage from those 10 years of smoking.

I hope I answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ronald Schubert (8 minutes later)

I know this sounds stupid but I know the scan will show the damage from smoking but will it show that I recently smoked or just the overall damage from years of smoking. Will some damage be fresher.

Thank you do much.

Answered by Dr. Ronald Schubert (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Smoking damage to lungs

Detailed Answer:
The CT scan will only show the long term damage not any damage from smoking 1 month ago. A CT scan will only show scaring and not the microscopic damage from recent smoking

Brief Answer:
Your welcome

Detailed Answer:
Your welcome and best wishes

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar