About Gary Expertise Will attempt to answer any question on respiratory disease, but please don`t ask me to make a diagnosis. Although I`ve worked as a respiratory specialist nurse in the UK for 6 years, I know nothing about the health systems of other countries. I have a particular interest in asthma, COPD, spirometry, and tuberculosis.
Question Last week I went for a chest x-ray due to a broken, it wasn't broken, but my doctor called to tell me that my upper lungs were huperlucent and that I had the beginning stages of COPD which will lead to the big E. Can this just be my asthma? I have no symptoms and my asthma only bothers me when I get a cough or cold. Why isn't he requesting more tests or given medications to me? I appreciate any help or advise.
Thanks Diane
Answer Hi Diane
First of all what was broken? You didn't type this in your question. Secondly, what is the Big "E"? I've never heard of this.
With a single snapshot x ray like that, it's impossible to diagnose COPD. Your doctor may have seen some abnormality that is often seen in COPD, but COPD CANNOT be diagnosed by x ray alone. You need to do some other breathing tests called "spirometry" and maybe some more detailed tests called "full lung function tests" if he wanted additional details about your lungs. Some other tests are also useful. You then say... "can this just be my asthma?" Well in short, yes. It is well known that if someone with existing asthma is experiencing bad asthma and an x ray is taken at that time, the lungs can appear "hyper-inflated". This is important because the one thing you are looking for on a x ray in COPD is "hyper-inflation" because you get that in COPD too. Now the important bit is this... just because you see that the lungs are hyper-inflated on a x-ray, it doesn't give you a diagnosis of COPD. It could well be the poorly controlled asthma causing the hyper-inflation. Of course, if your asthma was well-controlled when the x ray was done, then that's my theory out of the window, but I stick by my guns when I say that COPD cannot be diagnosed by x ray alone.
In short, I agree with you that more tests are required to make a diagnosis, so I suggest you go back to your doctor and have a chat about things. Why not print this reply off and take it with you.
