Hi,
A pre-op chest xray indicated an abnormality in the lung so we followed up w/a CT scan. The first part of the report should be manageable, the second part of the report makes me a bit uncomfortable. The findings are as follow: Patchy nodular oopacity in the right middle lobe w/out broncial obstruction has a morphology suggestive of an infectious etiology, more likely bacterial than mycobacterial. This opacity is not suggestive of a malignancy. That gave me a sigh of relief. But then it continues: new subpleural micronodule in the right middle lobe. New 3-4 mm nodule in the left lower lobe. This doesn't make me too comfortable.

Impression: New small indeterminite pulmonary nodules described above. Follow-up CT scan in 6 months is suggested to exclude an active process. Active process? I don't like the sound of that, and I'm so not agreeable to waiting 6 months for another scan. Fortunately neither is the oncologist, he said 2-3 months. However, seeing how rapidly things progressed the last time when I was told it wasn't cancer...and then was told it's only "superficial" (fortunately we've got better doctors now), I dunno. I suggested a bronchoscopy, but evidently the tumor board doesn't think it's necessary. I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to go in there, get some tissue and biopsy it. I love the doctors we've been working with, but I'm also wondering if there's something else we should be doing as opposed to waiting 8-12 weeks for another scan. My thought process is that a lot can happen in that period of time. Perhaps I'm worrying unnecessarily, but perhaps there's something we can do now to get some definitive answers. I see no reason to give anything potentially bad an opportunity to get worse. I'm thinking of talking to another doc at a different hospital just to get another slant on things. I almost feel like a traitor, but I'm not so sure I'm comfortable waiting around 6-8 weeks. An infection should get cleared up w/antibiotics, but nodules, I believe, are potentially bad things that don't respond to antibiotics. Anyone have any thoughts on my dilemma or my interpretation of things?
Thanks,
Dave