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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Chest X-ray Shows PTB Minimal And Bilateral. What Other Tests Should Be Taken To Confirm This?

hi, i just got my chest x-ray and the findings is suspicious densities noted in both upper lobe. impression was suggest apicolordotic view. then i did the apicolordotic x-ray and the result was shows fibronodular densities in the left upper lbe, right mid lung field. impression was PTB minimal, bilateral. i feel normal when i take the x-ray and i don t smoke . do i really have PTB? should i take another x-ray? sputum test? what should i do?
Fri, 26 Oct 2012
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Critical Care Specialist 's  Response
Hi thanks for your question
Your chest X-Ray findings are, minimal bilateral PTB (pulmonary tuberculosis).
When the disease is in the initial stage, there may be minimum symptoms or no symptom at all.
There is no need to repeat chest X-RAY.
Yes you can go for sputum examination.
You can have pulmonary tuberculosis even if your sputum result comes negative.
Hope I answered your question.
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Pulmonologist Dr. Arnab Maji's  Response
Hi
Thanks for your query
Presence of fibrotic lesion on x-ray doesnot mean that you have tuberculosis. Usually fibrosis occurs as a result of chronic infection or as a consequence of past tuberculosis. But now you have to examine your cough specially for acid-fas bacilli (AFB) smear and if AFB smear comes as a positive result then Anti-tubercular Drugs (ATDs) should be started. But if it came as negative then we have to take contact history, clinical examination, clinical corelation altogether to make a decision whether to start ATD or not. Sometimes if there is high clinical suspicion of Tb then after sending the sputum for BACTEC culture we start the ATDs. Now you consult a pulmonologist and take his opinion.
Thank you.
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Chest X-ray Shows PTB Minimal And Bilateral. What Other Tests Should Be Taken To Confirm This?

Hi thanks for your question Your chest X-Ray findings are, minimal bilateral PTB (pulmonary tuberculosis). When the disease is in the initial stage, there may be minimum symptoms or no symptom at all. There is no need to repeat chest X-RAY. Yes you can go for sputum examination. You can have pulmonary tuberculosis even if your sputum result comes negative. Hope I answered your question.