xray shadow

My daughter has Mitral Valve Prolapse and has been having some dizzy spells and rapid heartbeat. Her xray came back abnormal and now is needing a CT. What could have cause a shadow on the xray?

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

There is an increased risk of irregularities of heart rhythm (arrhythmias) some serious, in persons with MVP and thus and the combination of “dizzy spells and rapid heartbeat” would be likely to be on that basis.  MVP can also be associated with enlargement of the heart.

Having been told that your daughter’s chest X-ray is “abnormal” your first question should be, “abnormal in what way?”  Only with that information could I or anyone else venture a guess as to what was observed, why the need for a CT, and what is the most likely cause of the observed abnormality, both before and after the CT.

Unless there is a worrisome abnormality in one of your daughter’s lungs, in which case she would best be seen by a lung specialist (pulmonologist), I believe that your first action should be to pose the preceding question to her doctor and ask that he/she request further consultation with a cardiologist.

Good luck