large heart on xray

[TMAN007]

Hello- on a recent visit to the family doctor for my son's (130 asthma (has had it all his life).   The pedatrican said, "I think the xray shows his heart is a  larger than it should be.." He then called radiologist and radiolgist said it was fine... He then did an EKG and said it was fine.. He then continued "last year the xray showed the same thing and I would like you to get it checked out by cardiologists".. Some information about my son.. He is 13, and despite asthma plays baseball, soccer, basketball, and runs track.. Usually and most recetly he does three sports at a time.. On weekends and during the week he will run about 10 miles a week.. despite his asthma he still runs a 5:30 mile and never slows down.. he has never complained about heart pain... he is always on singulair and advair, and when he gets bad with asthma he is put on predinsone until he gets through it, we also use nebulizer... But again he competes and does very well on his teams.. You see since he was able to walk we have always encouraged him to run to help develop his lungs to be stronger... Needless to say my wife and I are FREAKING out and the internet is leading us to too many horrible conclusions... We do have a appt. with cardiologist for next week (Tues) but that is a week away and we are going crazy!    have you heard of any of this before?  Any information to prep us would be greatly appreciated..

[keldie]

well went to the doctor yesterday and the do said my heart is a lil large and i am worried but at the same time do not thin nothing is wrong...i am very confused...do u have any advice for me

[TMAN007]

Thanks for your thoughts on my son.. Turns out that Heart doc (Echo was good) said all is well!  Thanks again  TMAN007

[anacyde]

Well, if it looked enlarged a year ago, don't start freaking out now.  If nothing has happened in a year, that's good.  Your cardiologist will probably do an echocardiogram to view your son's heart and determine any possible cause of the enlargement if in fact there is an enlargement.  Don't scare yourself needlessly by reading what an enlarged heart can mean until you know what it DOES mean.  The internet, while a valuable tool, can be quite frightening with only bits and pieces on information.

I hope all goes well at his appointment.

[fwilson3]

Xray are simply a shadow image of the heart.  The often make the heart appear larger than it is.

The cardiologist will probably do an echocardiogram, which is a much more exact measure of he size of the heart.  Don't freak out until you get the echo results.  And after that, don't freak out either...freaking out doesn't help.

Good luck