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What Does Presence Of Inflammation In The Chest X-ray Report Suggest?

Posted on Mon, 5 Oct 2015

Question: I had a chest X-ray and it said airway inflammation. What does that mean?

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (31 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Air way inflammation may be seen in conditions like bronchitis,asthma etc.

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Air way inflammation may be seen in conditions like bronchitis,asthma etc.
It is inflammation of mucosal lining of bronchial tree(which carries air to lung )
Bronchitis may be seen as dirty appearance in X-rays.
It is important to know your symptoms.
You may need clinical correlation and antibiotics.
Steroids may be needed after evaluation.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your question.
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

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

Follow up: Dr. Indu Kumar (1 hour later)

Is the inflammation a temporary cause or permanent?
X-ray also said coursened lung markings and mild peribronchial thickening. What does that mean?

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (5 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Inflammation is generally a temporary finding.

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Inflammation is generally a temporary finding.It respond well to medicines.
Coarse lung markings with peribronchial thickening are features of chronic bronchitis.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your question.
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

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

Follow up: Dr. Indu Kumar (9 minutes later)

I used to smoke and had an X-ray 18 mths ago which was all clear. I was only a light smoker anyway. So could X-ray result change in the 18 months?
Also if from smoking what is it - copd? Emphysema etc I do not have any symptoms at all.
As I have quit smoking if is any of the above will it go or not get worse?

Please advise my last question

Could the airway inflammatio be from Post Nasal Drip?

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Bronchitis may be due to causes like allergy,smoking etc.

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Bronchitis may be due to causes like allergy,smoking etc.
Even light smoking may cause bronchitis in sensitive person.
Chronic bronchitis is a type of COPD.
Your findings doesn't suggests emphysma.Emphysema causes overinflated lungs.
Post Nasal Drip is not expected to cause bronchitis.Bronchitis is involvement of lower bronchial tree.
However,PND and chronic bronchitis may be due to common allergic cause.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your question.
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

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

Follow up: Dr. Indu Kumar (6 hours later)

I haven't got a mucous cough which I believe is common for chronic bronchitis. I had a virus a month ago and still have a dry cough. The cough is with a tickle in back of throat and only occurs during night once or twice. In the morning my nasal passage is blocked or running mucous which sits in throat. No mucous in chest or coughed up though.
I do have Post Nasal drip at times hence wondered if inflammation of airways could be from that. If not do my symptoms sound like chronic bronchitis as your reply suggested?
If so as I don't smoke will that go? And will the inflamed airways, peribronchial thickening and coursened lung markings go back to normal?

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Productive mucus is not always associated with chronic bronchitis.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Sorry for replying late

Productive mucus is not always associated with chronic bronchitis.It may only present as dry cough.
Findings are expected to improve with treatment of underlying cause.Smoking should be strictly avoided in bronchitis patient.
X-ray findings lag behind improvement in symptoms of the patient.Peribronchial thickening may take time to become normal.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your question.
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

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

Follow up: Dr. Indu Kumar (47 minutes later)

Are there any other tests that can confirm inflammation cause and whether I have any smoking related illness?
I feel fine, can exercise fine. Just get a tickle in throat during sleep which sometimes makes me cough once or twice and then mucus in my nose in morning. I am worrying if a permanent smoking related disease. All chest X-rays done each year over past five years showed no disease so I am worrying if this latest X-ray is a disease it just a temporary infection, allergy or what?

Why is it also that after 25 years of smoking a sudden tickly throat and cough would come now ( just as I quit) yet I never had a tickly dry cough or mucous cough during years I did smoke?

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (34 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
There are no specific test to detect whether it is smoking related tor not.

Detailed Answer:
Hello

There are no specific test to detect whether it is smoking related tor not.
You may need some allergy tests.
You may need conservative treatment for PND.
Time period for development of bronchitis in smokers are not fixed.It varies with person.
Your findings are temporary and it will improve with treatment.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your question.
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

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