'Abnormal' x-rays

[slenderthread]

Hello ...
  
   Recently my Doctor had x rays taken of my chest. About a week later his nurse called to say that the films came back,"..abnormal." I now have an appt. to have a C.T. done this coming week. I suffer from anxiety issues anyway ... so this is certainly not helping. I imagine my question is as follows -- does the word 'abnormal' (in the case of x-rays) tend to point to something dire and severe? The word 'inconclusive' would have been nicer somehow ... but my mind is fixated on the word 'abnormal.' I don't know if it is a word commonly used among radiologists for many different reasons.                         Thank you ever so much for your time!

Best Regards,   Stacy

[Garry Choy, MD, MS]

Dear slenderthread,

I totally understand your anxiety regarding the terminology of the radiology report.  While "abnormal" can indicate an underlying problem, it is also often difficult to "conclusively" characterize a problem on a plain x-ray.  You are right, the word "inconclusive" or "indeterminate" is probably better.  

Rest assured though your radiologist is being very vigilant in that he or she wants to go to CT to make sure nothing problematic is going on!  CT scan is much better (more sensitive) at finding abnormalities.  So I would not worry right now; I suggest waiting for the CT scan results.  Sometimes the words in a radiology report can definitely be scarier than the real situation so let's wait and see what the CT shows...

Best wishes!

[jogama]

dear Slenderthread,

Please do not worry too much, CT Scan might show something different, take it as it comes and be brave and face up to it.  By reading your question I have learned something and I told my sister to be brave,who is going to have By-pass operation, she is petrified. Her operation is on the 12th of October. I always tell her not to think too much, face up to it.  So be cheerful.
All the best.