What Is Mean By "opacity In Right Lung"?

Posted on Fri, 17 Oct 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 17 Oct 2014 Answered on

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I just had a chest xray and was told that there is an opacity in my right lung and a CT scan is being scheduled. I have no symptoms of any problems, no coughing, no diminished lung capacity, I exercise daily. I have had two severe cases of pneumonia in the past 5 years and I was a smoker, but have been quit for 6 years. Is this something I should be seriously worried about?

Answered by Dr. Monish De (43 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
post infection condition such as pneumonia

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Since you are not having symptoms of coughing, no diminished lung capacity and having a previous history of pneumonia the opacity in chest x ray in your right lung may be due to effect of post infection condition such as pneumonia and not malignancy and you should not be worried.

I will advise you to take 1 week course of antibiotic containing amoxicillin and clavulanic acid with your doctors advise.

If after 1 week after completion of the course the opacity persist on the repeat chest x ray then i will advise you to do a CT scan of chest with contrast and a biopsy from the space occupying lesion in the scan to rule out malignancy.

Regards

DR De

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari