missyk Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I got to talk for a while with my step-dad about Mom's last dr's appointment (she went last week and was told that there was nothing they could do) since I'd not gotten a straight answer from Mom and my brother (who went also) really hasn't been as involved to know the ins and outs of what to ask and what he's seeing, etc. My step-dad said that on the xray he saw, the left lung looked like it had a hand-sized black area (left lung is where the primary was) but that the dr's said that the lungs are clear???????? I have no problem with them saying we're at the end...it's been almost two years for a woman who was told she's never see a year and we feel blessed to have had this time with her...but WHAT is with such a large area on the x-ray and people saying it's clear??? Could it be something other than her lung? What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I can't remember if it was black, but I once saw something on my own chest xray and they said it was the heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiesia Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Which lung was it ? Healthy lung would show dark, no ? It is the other parts: heart, arteries etc that show white. My brother, after one of the Dr visits, was trying to convince me that the superior vena cava was my father's tumor. Tells you how people listen to doctors when they are all in nerves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welthy Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Could be heart. All I know is an x-ray of my husband's lungs when he was first diagnosed was practically all white with a lot of filmy white thready, swirly looking things. (He had a lot of cancer in both lungs.) Apparently they should look dark on x-rays. Hope this helps. May God bless you and yours. Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze100 Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Sometimes my docs will say my lungs sound "clear" when they listen to them. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chanwit Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I would have someone who has the Medical Power of Attorney or your mom give a call to the clinic to get clarification of what 'clear' meant. I always get a hard copy of the CXR or scan report when my wife get's her scans. I always have to ask questions for the doctor to explain the terminology on the report. I get a copy of the CXR or scans on CD. The scans are interesting but I have never been able to make sense of them so what they saw should have been explained by the doctor. I'm curious too. Chanwit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TamHol Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I've never seen the x-rays of my Dad and wouldn't know what I'm looking at if I did. I guess it comes down to trust the doctor or get a second opinion. At this point .... I can't say any explaination would do much good for me. I hope it's nothing to worry about. Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masspa Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Missy, Without actually seeing the X-Ray, it's hard to say, but generally, air filled spaces show up as black on xrays. The thicker something is, the harder it is for the xrays to penetrate, and the more opaque (or white) they appear. So, a mass is typically more opaque than the surrounding lung tissue. So if the lung is nice and aerated it looks pretty black, although the black area is often interspersed with "white swirly things" which can be normal vasculature. I don't know if this helps, but I don't know why the doc would try and hide a hand sized abnormality, and if it's black I don't think it's a mass, fluid, infection or anything else I can think of Good luck, Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.