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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Does This Chest CT Scan Test Result For Breathlessness And Back Pain Indicate?

Hello, I am a 52yr old female. Average height and weight. I have had a total hysterectomy in 2006. I by chance had a d dimer ran about a year ago now and it was at 900. Thinking this was maybe this was my normal. They checked it again in a couple of weeks and it was 1,200 then 1,800, then 2,200 and as of yesterday it is 2,656. I have been to see Oncologist who ran multiple tests including CT of chest and US of legs. US was negative. CT shows two lung nodules and I will have another CT next month. I also have a positive ANA with an RNP antibody of greater than 8. I was sent to a Rheumatologist for this and that apt was a joke. He told me I didn t have Lupus and that was it. I am very concerned that I have a blood clot forming somewhere in my body that will break off and either give me a stroke, heart attack or aneurism. Any thoughts on why my d dimer is increasing. Any advise or response would be greatly appreciated. I do work in a lab and have been informed that it may be a blood clot. I have back pain and seem to catch myself breathing at a rapid rate without exertion. Please advise. Thank you.
Wed, 11 Oct 2017
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Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
D-dimer can certainly be elevated in the presence of a blood clot, but it can also be elevated in other scenarios as well, most commonly inflammatory disorders. Your doctors have ruled out pulmonary embolism on the chest CT (assuming it was done with contrast as an angiogram) and deep venous thrombosis of your legs with ultrasound. You can also have ultrasounds done of your arms to exclude that, although this is a less common site for clots. If you have any other symptoms, you should be evaluated for any evidence of inflammation in your body which could explain a high D-dimer.
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What Does This Chest CT Scan Test Result For Breathlessness And Back Pain Indicate?

D-dimer can certainly be elevated in the presence of a blood clot, but it can also be elevated in other scenarios as well, most commonly inflammatory disorders. Your doctors have ruled out pulmonary embolism on the chest CT (assuming it was done with contrast as an angiogram) and deep venous thrombosis of your legs with ultrasound. You can also have ultrasounds done of your arms to exclude that, although this is a less common site for clots. If you have any other symptoms, you should be evaluated for any evidence of inflammation in your body which could explain a high D-dimer.