Explanation of CT scan for chronic aspiration of stomach acid

June 17, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I thought I'd share this with you. I e-mailed my former pulmonologist from

National Jewish (Don Rollins, MD) about my current status and he replied that

the chronic aspiration usually yields a different CT result so I asked what that

was and here is what he wrote:

Hi Peggy: Hard to explain succinctly, but chronic aspiration leads to a pattern

of " ground glass " and " patchy " infiltrates, sometimes changing over months,

disappearing and recurring, accompanied by chronic cough, but there is a lot of

overlap in how diseases present on the CT, it is usually not " diagnostic " ,

rather, points in the specific direction of the diagnosis. Glad to hear you are

better.

The strange thing is that those words which he wrote are nearly exactly what was

written on my last 3 CT scans here at UW. Hopefully I can get a copy of my very

first CT scan report (done at National Jewish) and see what was said at that

time. Seems that maybe I had something else (maybe an infection or viral

condition or something) that did resolve and coincidentally I also have this

aspiration situation. Of course he does say that it cannot be specifically

diagnosed through CT so true 'knowledge' for me will only come through biopsy

which I am at the very least stalling if not refusing (at least for now).

I'm still trying to learn everything I can about my specific situation. Please

keep this in mind that this is only about my case. If anything sounds

'familiar' maybe you could use it as a reason to investigate your situation with

your pulmonologist. Still waiting to hear about the 24 hour test. With not

hearing I am wondering if something happened to the data. It would be a bummer

but with the CT showing no new areas I would just stay on this treatment and try

to relax and enjoy my LIFE until the next round of evaluations.

Hope all is well with you all out there in the AIR,

Peggy Ellis (53, ILD, possible GERD)

Recommended Posts