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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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Many NetWellness visitors have questions pertaining to lung scars. What exactly is a lung scar, and what does it mean with regard to my health?
Scars in the lung, like scars on the skin, are permanent and usually cannot be removed. However, the lung is remarkably resilient and able to withstand small scars without any ill effects. Granulomas are scars that are caused by previous infection and can develop into calcified scars. Normally, these lesions are not treated and there is neither treatment nor necessity for their removal. Much like a scar on the skin, stable scars on the lung are generally not treated.
Calcified scars are usually caused by previous lung infections such as pneumonia. In the Ohio River Valley specifically, there is a fungus in the soil known as histoplasmosis which sometimes causes infection but rarely causes any health problems. Tuberculosis infections can also cause granulomas. Other factors to the development of granulomas, which can form over time into calcified scars over time, include:
In some cases, scar tissue can build up and escalate into issues such as interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis (where swelling and inflammation occur).
If you have lung scarring, you should check with your health care provider as soon as possible if you are currently experiencing symptoms of:
These may be symptoms of a more serious condition.
Dealing with lung scarring begins with identifying the size and stability of the scar. If, for instance, you have an old chest x-ray (CXR) and a new one, a doctor can view if the scar has stabilized or is malignant (spreading). Also, a CXR can show whether the scar tissue is localized (or in one place) or more spread.
Because it is sometimes difficult to tell whether scar tissue is benign or cancerous, a CT scan is occasionally required.
Pending the results of such scans, ask your health care provider for the next steps to take, and options available to your specific condition.
This article is a NetWellness exclusive. 
Last Reviewed: Sep 18, 2008
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James N. Allen, Jr., MD Professor - Clinical Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine The Ohio State University |
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James Knepler, MD Formerly, Assistant Professor Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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Larry S. Schlesinger, MD Director, Center for Microbial Interface Biology Professor, Division Director Division of Infectious Diseases Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine The Ohio State University |
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Shu-Hua Wang, MD, MPH&TM Medical Director, Ben Franklin TB Control Program Assistant Professor Division of Infectious Diseases Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine The Ohio State University |
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