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On Antibiotic For Cough. X-ray And Ct Scan Done. Losing Weight Due To Change In Diet. Any Advice?
Question: My husband had a persistent cough for about 8 weeks. GP sent him for an xray and on receipt of results gave him a course of a/biotics. The cough has now cleared up but a 2nd xray resulted in the GP sending him to see a consultant (referred under 2 week wait system...U/K) After a thorough examination of chest, lymph nodes, finger nails ,legs and a look at the xrays the consultant said there were areas of pleural plaques evident and although these are not XXXXXXX in themselves he ordered a CT scan to as we believed to confirm this. However on receiving a copy of the letter to the GP as well has mentioning these plaques (a result of asbestos exposure..he thinks) he also mentions an area of haziness which was not mentioned or discussed with us. He did ask my husband if he'd had any lung problems in his childhood which he hadn't. My husband is a non-smoker and although he has lost weight it has not been a drastic weight loss and probably due to a change in diet recently (no loss of appetite).I would welcome your any information or advice you could give.
Thank you XXXXXX
Thank you XXXXXX
Hi,
Thanks for posting the query on XXXXXXX After going through the query, I would like to comment the following:
1. Your husband seems to have suffered from 8 weeks of cough which has responded to antibiotic course. There was an incidental finding of plwural plaque on ct scan thorax.
2. The pleural plaques could be due to a variety of reasons. One of them is asbestos exposure. Another is old healed infection.
3. If an area of haziness has been reported then that needs to be evaluated. Any past history of any type of dust exposure needs to be examines. A bronchoscopy may be required.
4. Other investigations like pulmonary function tests and blood investigations may be required.
5. If the patient is asymptomatic then there is no need to worry at present but medical observation is required at least for a period of 2 years.
6. If any further reports are available, then that will help.
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 the query, I would like to comment the following:
1. Your husband seems to have suffered from 8 weeks of cough which has responded to antibiotic course. There was an incidental finding of plwural plaque on ct scan thorax.
2. The pleural plaques could be due to a variety of reasons. One of them is asbestos exposure. Another is old healed infection.
3. If an area of haziness has been reported then that needs to be evaluated. Any past history of any type of dust exposure needs to be examines. A bronchoscopy may be required.
4. Other investigations like pulmonary function tests and blood investigations may be required.
5. If the patient is asymptomatic then there is no need to worry at present but medical observation is required at least for a period of 2 years.
6. If any further reports are available, then that will help.
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
Thankyou very much for your reply.
My husband has not yet had the
ct scan only 2 standard xrays and it was the "haziness " that was not mentioned or explained to us that concerned me when the consultant mentioned it in a letter to our GP (we received a copy).
Apart from the cough he is asymptomatic. He had a spirometry at the chest clinic which showed good lung function.
So are we to presume that the CT scan is more to investigate the area of "haziness" than to confirm pleural plaques.
Thankyou XXXXXX
My husband has not yet had the
ct scan only 2 standard xrays and it was the "haziness " that was not mentioned or explained to us that concerned me when the consultant mentioned it in a letter to our GP (we received a copy).
Apart from the cough he is asymptomatic. He had a spirometry at the chest clinic which showed good lung function.
So are we to presume that the CT scan is more to investigate the area of "haziness" than to confirm pleural plaques.
Thankyou XXXXXX
Hi,
Thanks for the follow up.
1. The Ct scan will tell us details about both - the pleural plaques if present as well as the area of haziness.
2. The Ct picture will let us know the details and further line of management.
3. It's good that the pulmonary function tests were normal and the patient is almost asymptomatic at present.
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 the follow up.
1. The Ct scan will tell us details about both - the pleural plaques if present as well as the area of haziness.
2. The Ct picture will let us know the details and further line of management.
3. It's good that the pulmonary function tests were normal and the patient is almost asymptomatic at present.
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
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