Mom's HRCT lung shows lesions. Is it post-COVID or cancer?

Question

Hello doctor,

My mother had COVID-19 for a month and 10 days. We did a computed tomography (CT) 11 days ago to be on the safer side, and the report is attached herewith. It looks like a terrifying report. Her oxygen level is around 95 to 96 %. There is no cough or breathing issue as of now, just on and off fever.

Is it temporary COVID-19 changes or some malignancy?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

According to your statement, your mother is suffering from fever now and then, and she was COVID positive a month and 10 days ago. However, her recent HRCT (high-resolution computed tomography) of the chest report (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity) has revealed multiple pulmonary mass lesions with centrilobular nodular opacities in the right upper, middle, and lower lobes.

Such a radiological picture of HRCT chest may result from various respiratory complications such as inflammatory conditions like tuberculosis, bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, sarcoidosis, malignancy, or carcinoma, etc. An HRCT of the Chest does not tell whether the lung masses and nodules are cancerous or not. The size of the masses and nodules is an important parameter.

Masses and nodules less than 9 mm are generally considered non-cancerous, but they still could be early cancer in rare cases. To confirm the diagnosis, your mother should undergo CT (computed tomography) guided FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) or biopsy from the lung masses and nodules, and then start the treatment protocol according to the FNAC or biopsy report.

Without confirming the diagnosis by CT-guided FNAC or biopsy, we cannot predict if her radiological changes have been due to cancerous causes. Do the CT-guided FNAC or biopsy test as soon as possible, and that will confirm everything. Take care. In case of any other query, ask me.

I hope this helps.

Kindly revert in case of further queries.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com. I have gone through your mother's high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity). It shows pulmonary masses with nodular opacities in the lung. Computed tomography (CT)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNAC) or biopsy can help confirm such radiological changes that happened in her HRCT of the chest.

According to your statement, your mother has been suffering from fever now and then for the last few months. She was COVID-positive for two months. Her recent HRCT of the chest has revealed multiple pulmonary mass lesions with centrilobular nodular opacities in the right upper, middle, and lower lobes of the lungs, suggestive of malignancy.

Such radiological changes on HRCT of the chest may result from various respiratory complications or diseases, such as inflammatory conditions like tuberculosis, bacterial, viral, or fungal infections, sarcoidosis, malignancy, or carcinoma, etc. An HRCT of the chest does not tell whether the lung masses and nodules are cancerous or not. The size of the masses and nodules is an important parameter.

Masses and nodules less than 9 mm in size are generally considered non-cancerous, but they still could be early cancer in rare cases. To confirm the diagnosis, your mother should undergo a CT-guided FNAC or biopsy of the lung masses and nodules, and then start the treatment protocol according to the FNAC or biopsy report.

Without confirming the diagnosis by CT-guided FNAC or biopsy, nobody can predict if her radiological changes are due to cancerous reasons. So, try to do the CT-guided FNAC or biopsy test quickly to confirm the cause.

I have repeated everything because almost every doctor will have the same comment on your mother's HRCT of chest film. So, FNAC or biopsy test will confirm everything. So, please try to do the test rapidly.

I hope this helps.

Please revert in case of further queries.

Thank you.