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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Is HRCT scan conclusive for diagnosing fibrosis?
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Is HRCT scan conclusive for diagnosing fibrosis?
by egipps, Jun 25, 2003 12:00AM
Hi All, I'm new to this and would like some help.
I'm breathless and getting more so. Still working etc but finding walking 100 metres wipes me out. Have a dry cough that I hadn't noticed until the doc asked how long I had had it for.
I've had lung function tests, thallium tests, tests for pulmonary emboli, chest xray and High Res CT Scan. All tests were performed in regional centres.
The lung function test was normal (some values higher/better than expected) except for CO diffusing capacity which was noted as 'significantly impaired'. The chest xray was noted as normal but the specialist thought it may have shown something at the lower lung area. Oxygen levels were low and dropped with exercise. Everything else has been normal. Prior to the HRCT scan the specialist thought IPF may have been the problem. He says that this is ruled out due to clear HRCT scan. Is this scan that conclusive Can I relax re IPF?
The specialist admits that he is a bit tossed about where/what I should do next. Wait and see or have a lung biopsy or .
GP seems to still think it's a form of fibrosis. Specialist said normal CT ruled this out.
I'm a 45 year old female with a history of allergies and low grade asthma. These have been really well controlled the last few years. Eosoniphils <s> blood tests were 0.04 so it doesn't look like there is an allergic process happening.
My GP has suggested referring me to specialistfor lung biopsy. But I'm not sure if this is warranted seeing HRCT scan is clear. The specialist I saw was happy for me to 'wait and see what happened'.
Confusion reigns!
I'm breathless and getting more so. Still working etc but finding walking 100 metres wipes me out. Have a dry cough that I hadn't noticed until the doc asked how long I had had it for.
I've had lung function tests, thallium tests, tests for pulmonary emboli, chest xray and High Res CT Scan. All tests were performed in regional centres.
The lung function test was normal (some values higher/better than expected) except for CO diffusing capacity which was noted as 'significantly impaired'. The chest xray was noted as normal but the specialist thought it may have shown something at the lower lung area. Oxygen levels were low and dropped with exercise. Everything else has been normal. Prior to the HRCT scan the specialist thought IPF may have been the problem. He says that this is ruled out due to clear HRCT scan. Is this scan that conclusive Can I relax re IPF?
The specialist admits that he is a bit tossed about where/what I should do next. Wait and see or have a lung biopsy or .
GP seems to still think it's a form of fibrosis. Specialist said normal CT ruled this out.
I'm a 45 year old female with a history of allergies and low grade asthma. These have been really well controlled the last few years. Eosoniphils <s> blood tests were 0.04 so it doesn't look like there is an allergic process happening.
My GP has suggested referring me to specialistfor lung biopsy. But I'm not sure if this is warranted seeing HRCT scan is clear. The specialist I saw was happy for me to 'wait and see what happened'.
Confusion reigns!
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Jun 26, 2003 12:00AM
, Jun 26, 2003 12:00AM
The likelihood of this being idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), with a truly normal high-resolution CT scan (HRCT) is extremely low, if not zero. You should have more testing done to find out what is causing you to be breathless, with a low oxygen level, and a significantly impaired carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO). A pulmonologist at a university medical center is most likely to have the greatest experience in evaluating people with IPF. This would be the best specialist to know if an open lung biopsy would be needed to find the cause of your problem. Please read our Interstitial Lung Disease MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/interstitial.html for more information.
