Chest X-rays- why would one be ordered?

Bubblegum1286

Hi everyone, my mom was diagnosed in October with Stage II IDC, er+/pr+, HER2-. She's already gone throughthe adriomycin/cytoxin rounds and is currently on round 10 of 12 Taxol. She's had 2 CT scans- one at diagnosis, and then one before starting taxol. Her scans picked up on a bunch of lung nodules, all >4mm. He said they were unchanged after 4 rounds of A/C chemo, so he wasnt concerned about the nodules being mets. But then last week, he ordered a chest x-ray with no explanation. When my mom called back to ask why he ordered it, the nurse said it's just routine. I looked online and saw that chest x-rays are sometimes ordered when patients are getting radiation, to make sure there's no damage to the lungs or fluid on the lungs, but she isn't getting radiation yet. So I don't understand why she had to have a chest x-ray. I understand CT scans are much better at detecting mets in the lungs than an X-ray. And he said her second scan was totally unchanged, which was good. So why order it? Did anyone else have a "routine" chest X-ray? She'll see him again on Wednesday next week and get the results of the X-ray. I'm trying to stay calm, but it worries me that maybe he still thinks it's in the lungs. ...Or he's just a VERY thorough and cautious doc.

Thanks for listening. I hate hate hate this rollercoaster. Love all of y'all and this board.

Jennie93

Yes, I had a routine chest X-ray. It was right at the beginning, as soon as the biopsy results came back, before surgery. Met with the MO who sent me for all kinds of what they called routine tests. Many blood tests, chest X-ray, don't remember what all else, but they implied that everyone got these things.

Icietla

Does she have a surgery coming up? Many Hospitals routinely require a recent chest X-Ray before a planned surgery.

sbelizabeth

After treatment that involved a whole lot of radiation to my chest, anytime someone says, "this chest x-ray I'm ordering is just routine," I say no thanks. I know a simple chest x-ray is a pffft amount of radiation, but I don't care. It's my chest. It's had enough.

Bubblegum I know you posted this several weeks ago and your mom has probably had her questions answered. But anytime...ANYTIME she has a question she needs to speak up and ask her doctor about it. That's what she/he is getting paid for.

I get it. We all hate the roller coaster. Danged BC.

Kicks

Post TX before my cataract surgeries, a chest Xray was requested but when I questioned why I needed to have more radiation when I had within the last year had full body MRI with Contrast. Also reminded them that I had done 25 rads and didn't want any unnecessary radiation. They agreed to not doing the chest Xray but did insist on a new EKG - OK.

Artista928

That is odd. I would ask to explain the routine. I had chest XRs before sx and when I was admitted with lung issues (turned out to be collapsed lungs) + CT scan to the chest. I had a lung nodule before chemo and MO ordered a CT scan after to see if it was now gone or not in order to help determine if it's a met or not. But not a chest XR. Seems odd to me too. I wouldn't do it unless they can give an answer that makes sense, and checking on the lung nodules is really the job of a CT scan once it's found out and not chest XR.

edwards750

I never had one either and I had 33 radiation treatments. After having all that radiation exposure I'm not allowing a chest x-ray either. EKG if course. What concerns me is the pat answer of it's just routine. Not a good enough explanation. Also factor in costs too. If it's not necessary don't do it. It's your life and your right not your doctors.

Those of us who have had radiation know side effects/damage from radiation might not show up for years. Not a comforting thought.

Diane

bluepearl

Standard of care in Canada.