Pulmonary Fibrosis

Question:

last week i made an x ray test for my work permit,,they seen an Parenchymal fibrosis in my left upper zone,,is this a serious situation of my lungs?thank you,,

Answer:

There are many things that can cause fibrosis in the lung. Fibrosis (scar) that is only in the upper lung zone of one lung is usually due to previous injury to the lung or previous infection. Infections to which this is most commonly due include previous tuberculosis, previous pneumonia, or (if you have lived in the Midwestern United States) previous histoplasmosis. 

Scar from previous pneumonia usually does not get worse over time, but the safest course would be to see a pulmonologist who could review the films in the context of your personal history and physical examination to determine the significance of the x-ray findings and whether or not additional testing (such as a CT scan or such as testing for tuberculosis infection) is required.

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Response by:

James N. Allen, Jr., MD Professor - Clinical Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine The Ohio State University