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Is CT Scan Of Chest Necessary Following Chemotherapy For Lung Cancer?
Question: I recently had a bronchoscopy with a biopsy that was a follow up to a Petscan that showed some perihilar infiltrates in my left lung. No tumors came up on the scan. The bronchoscopy was negative as was the biopsy for lung cancer. The pulmonologist said I have a bacterial infection in my lungs following chemotherapy for lymphoma. They want to do a CT scan of my chest in 3 months as follow up. Is that standard operating procedure?
Brief Answer:
Yes
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this cancer that you had. However, I am happier because the treatment seems to have been successful and you are doing a lot better.
This is the standard procedure of this managing patients with cancer. The only reason why you had to do all the numerous tests following the lung infiltrates was to make sure these infiltrates didn't represent metastases of the tumor that was treated with surgery and chemotherapy. After these numerous tests, nothing worrisome was identified. Just to make sure there is for sure nothing and there is nothing wrong going on in the background, that is why the doctor is recommending a follow up ct scan in three months. This will show whether there have been any changes to the observed infiltrates and look if there are any recent changes.
This is a logical and recommended way to treat and follow up patients post cancer treatment with doubtful lung findings. Feel confident about this as your doctor did nothing but the right way forward.
I hope this helps and addresses your query. I wish you well and thanks for using our services, Please, feel free to ask for more information should need be.
Dr. Ditah, MD.
Yes
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about this cancer that you had. However, I am happier because the treatment seems to have been successful and you are doing a lot better.
This is the standard procedure of this managing patients with cancer. The only reason why you had to do all the numerous tests following the lung infiltrates was to make sure these infiltrates didn't represent metastases of the tumor that was treated with surgery and chemotherapy. After these numerous tests, nothing worrisome was identified. Just to make sure there is for sure nothing and there is nothing wrong going on in the background, that is why the doctor is recommending a follow up ct scan in three months. This will show whether there have been any changes to the observed infiltrates and look if there are any recent changes.
This is a logical and recommended way to treat and follow up patients post cancer treatment with doubtful lung findings. Feel confident about this as your doctor did nothing but the right way forward.
I hope this helps and addresses your query. I wish you well and thanks for using our services, Please, feel free to ask for more information should need be.
Dr. Ditah, MD.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Dr. Ditah: Thank you for your answer. My bronchoscopy also included a biopsy and extensive microscopic tests for cancer were done as well. They biopsied three different sections of lung tissue of my lower left lung. No cancer was found. If the perihilar concentrates are just fluids and a Pet Scan showed no cancer, why the follow up with a CT Scan if my "B" cell Lymphoma is in remission? They biopsied the lymph node too and found nothing.
Brief Answer:
It is part of standard recommendation!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for following up with me on this.
A follow up CT scan is always important because it adds more information as to whether the first conclusion was valid and/or remains valid. For example, should the follow up ct scan show the same lesions without any change, then we would know that is a lesion that is stale over time and would not represent an active ongoing problem. However, should we find new infiltrates or increasing size of the old one they found on initial testing, then we would want to understand what could be going on.
This is just like controlling for what you found and making sure there is nothing that was missed on an earlier date.
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask for more clarifications if needed.
Dr. Ditah, MD.
It is part of standard recommendation!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for following up with me on this.
A follow up CT scan is always important because it adds more information as to whether the first conclusion was valid and/or remains valid. For example, should the follow up ct scan show the same lesions without any change, then we would know that is a lesion that is stale over time and would not represent an active ongoing problem. However, should we find new infiltrates or increasing size of the old one they found on initial testing, then we would want to understand what could be going on.
This is just like controlling for what you found and making sure there is nothing that was missed on an earlier date.
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask for more clarifications if needed.
Dr. Ditah, MD.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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