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What Does The Following CT Scan Report Indicate?

Posted on Tue, 14 Mar 2017

Question: My daughter has had problems breathing. She was sent to a pulmonary Dr. that did a pulmonary function test and a CT scan of the neck. The PF test was ok and the CT scan showed slight scarring, but he thought that was from a previous bronchitits. He has now ordered a full chest CTscan and an Echocardiogram of the heart. I know that you cannot diagnois without test results, but could you just tell me what they might be looking for. He said he did not think that it was fibrosis. Could it possibly be silent reflex? She is 43 and healthy except for have trouble breathing.

Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Looking for other causes of dyspnea

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome.

Thank you for writing to us.

I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. As you can understand I cannot provide information directly about your daughter, but only general information like what I would do in such a situation, or with such a case.

As is your daughter's doctor's opinion, the mild scarring cannot be the cause for dyspnea (breathing difficulty) and so we should look for other more obvious causes for her dyspnea. Causes for dyspnea can be:

+Pneumonia
+Interstitial lung diseases (e.g. asbestosis, silicosis, sarcoidosis, etc.)
+Myocardial dysfunction
+Congestive heart failure
+Asthma
+Conditions like anxiety, panic disorder or depression that can at times appear with such symptoms
+Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
and a few others.

So with a full CT scan we can look for all such causes for dyspnea in the lungs/chest; a 2D echocardiogram would report all structural abnormalities of the heart; and once all these conditions are ruled out a psychological evaluation should be conducted.

I think you meant silent reflux, the only respiratory symptom reflux can cause is dry cough, but at times it can lead to breathing difficulties (although not significant); for your satisfaction you can speak to your doctor about looking into this cause and ruling it out as well.

I hope I have explained things in a manner best understood by you. Please feel free to write to me for any further clarifications or information, I am always here to help.

Best wishes.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)

She does have a dry cough and did have pneumonia and that is when the dr. ordered the PF test and CT scan of her neck. The scarring actually showed up in the opposite lung that she had the pneumonia in. He told her that if the new test showed nothing then they would do a stress test also. Is this go along with your thinking?

Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes it is ma'am

Detailed Answer:
Hello once again.

Yes it does, I am guessing (as I have not seen elaborate test results of her lungs) that the scarring is too minimal to cause the breathlessness.

And as I listed in my previous response, the chest CT will help to rule out/confirm a few causes, if this is normal then the focus shifts to the heart, which is why a stress test, a 2D echocardiogram and an EKG will then be required.

Being a doctor, my hope and prayers are so we can find the cause and reach a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is reached, half the battle is won. Without that, any treatment employed is blind treatment. Hoping for the best.

Best wishes.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (25 minutes later)

Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
My prayers are with her, and she shall soon recover, I am sure

Detailed Answer:
Hi.

You are always welcome. I hope and pray she recovers rapidly and completely at the earliest. In the meantime, do not hesitate to write to me about anything, I am always here to help.

Best wishes.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D