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What Does My CT Scan Report Indicate?
Question: Ive recently had an ENT app today after an audiologist discovered a skin coloured lump in
ear. The ENT doctor who saw me today is sending me for a CT scan to see how far down is it in my outer ear canal. The lump in my ear looks similar to this. When he touched the lump today he said it was hard and not soft. When i put a cotton bud in my ear around that area of the lump it hurts and small amounts if blood can be seen. Can you tell me what your thoughts in what it could be. Does is look like anything sinister to you?
ear. The ENT doctor who saw me today is sending me for a CT scan to see how far down is it in my outer ear canal. The lump in my ear looks similar to this. When he touched the lump today he said it was hard and not soft. When i put a cotton bud in my ear around that area of the lump it hurts and small amounts if blood can be seen. Can you tell me what your thoughts in what it could be. Does is look like anything sinister to you?
Brief Answer:
The blood is from the irritation of the skin that surrounds the lump.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for using HealthcareMagic to post your health query.
I read your question carefully and reviewed the photos you uploaded.
If the lump that the doctor saw was an osteoma, then they are not dangerous and in general, nothing to worry about.
I think though s/he will be able to differentiate an osteoma and maybe seen something different from that, which is why I suspect s/he asked for further testing. A CT scan would surely give you more information to rule out something else. You don't need to worry about beforehand though because you are at an age where very rarely may have any serious problems/pathologies.
Also, I would suggest to not put that cotton again in your ear. The blood and the tenderness may have come from the irritation of the skin that surrounds the lump which may have been damaged and inflamed and now bleeding because of the exam of the ENT and not from the rubbing you may have done by the cotton tip.
Since I haven't seen the lump, but what is more common for those lumps to be are like a pimple, or a skin tag, or osteoma (if it is hard, which are benign tumors of the bones around the ear canal- happen mostly in swimmers/divers).
Hope this is helpful.
Let me know if you need more clarifications.
Regards,
Dr. Papaqako
The blood is from the irritation of the skin that surrounds the lump.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for using HealthcareMagic to post your health query.
I read your question carefully and reviewed the photos you uploaded.
If the lump that the doctor saw was an osteoma, then they are not dangerous and in general, nothing to worry about.
I think though s/he will be able to differentiate an osteoma and maybe seen something different from that, which is why I suspect s/he asked for further testing. A CT scan would surely give you more information to rule out something else. You don't need to worry about beforehand though because you are at an age where very rarely may have any serious problems/pathologies.
Also, I would suggest to not put that cotton again in your ear. The blood and the tenderness may have come from the irritation of the skin that surrounds the lump which may have been damaged and inflamed and now bleeding because of the exam of the ENT and not from the rubbing you may have done by the cotton tip.
Since I haven't seen the lump, but what is more common for those lumps to be are like a pimple, or a skin tag, or osteoma (if it is hard, which are benign tumors of the bones around the ear canal- happen mostly in swimmers/divers).
Hope this is helpful.
Let me know if you need more clarifications.
Regards,
Dr. Papaqako
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Thank you for that. Another wuestion i have is that i am suffering from chest pain when turning over in bed, moving my shoulers, turning towards one side. The pain feels like its coning from the right side but more towards the center of my chest. I did smoke cannabis for around 1 year which i dont know might of caused this pain as thats when i noticed it? The oain hasnt got worse but hasnt got any better. I also have bone pain on and off in my tibia bones in my legs and pains in my hands and finger tips. What could this be please?
Brief Answer:
Needs a general check up and full medical history.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up question.
The problem you are describing to me seems more a generalized problem. You will need a general check up so a local doctor can check your lungs and make sure they are clear.
Also, you will need a visit to an orthopedist who can ask a thorough medical history and a physical exam of your bones.
Depending on the results of the above you may need some labs like a complete blood count, an sedimentation rate and a thyroid count.
If all results negative, then those pains may be from your job, or activity you do daily, or even the position of sleeping in bed, ect.
Hope this all makes sense and clarifies you a bit.
Kind regards,
Dr. Papaqako
Needs a general check up and full medical history.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for the follow up question.
The problem you are describing to me seems more a generalized problem. You will need a general check up so a local doctor can check your lungs and make sure they are clear.
Also, you will need a visit to an orthopedist who can ask a thorough medical history and a physical exam of your bones.
Depending on the results of the above you may need some labs like a complete blood count, an sedimentation rate and a thyroid count.
If all results negative, then those pains may be from your job, or activity you do daily, or even the position of sleeping in bed, ect.
Hope this all makes sense and clarifies you a bit.
Kind regards,
Dr. Papaqako
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Ive jad blood tests ran for full blood count in march and then again just recently in april around a week ago and both red and white cells came bsck normal. My ferritin levels were at 24. I have now been given iron tablets to take, one to be took three times a day. I went to see the ENT specalist yesterday in regards to a hard lump found in my ear. No discharge coming from the ear but have gotten what the doctors thought be a subborn ear infection that took weeks and weeks and weeks to go. Hes ordered a CT scan do be done to see how much of what he think its is has grown so that if he needs to shave it down due to more pain in my ear he knows how much etc. He didnt seem to think it was anything sinister but obviously didnt say no just to cover himself i guess? It looks similar to this from a picture i saw of it in my own ear a while back (i have attached) im just concerned about the bone pain. Would white blood cells be elevated in the case of something sinister happening within my body? What do you mean by systematic infection? So if i had cancer for examole somewhere in my body this would not show in a blood cell count?
Brief Answer:
No, it would not show if it was cancer in the ear.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
If you had any ear cancer, it would not show in a blood cell count. Only a biopsy from the affected lesion would tell if that is cancer or not. So, the CT would only show how deep that lump/lesion is and if it's just a lump from the infection going chronic.
But, if you decide to remove the lump, then only the biopsy from the removed lump would be able to decide if that is cancer.
Only if you had a blood cancer, it would show for sure in your blood count, but this is not your case, so don't worry.
By systemic infection, I mean an infection which gives fever for example...that would also elevate your white blood cells.
Hope this makes sense and I have answered your question.
Regards,
Dr. Papaqako.
No, it would not show if it was cancer in the ear.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
If you had any ear cancer, it would not show in a blood cell count. Only a biopsy from the affected lesion would tell if that is cancer or not. So, the CT would only show how deep that lump/lesion is and if it's just a lump from the infection going chronic.
But, if you decide to remove the lump, then only the biopsy from the removed lump would be able to decide if that is cancer.
Only if you had a blood cancer, it would show for sure in your blood count, but this is not your case, so don't worry.
By systemic infection, I mean an infection which gives fever for example...that would also elevate your white blood cells.
Hope this makes sense and I have answered your question.
Regards,
Dr. Papaqako.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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