restrictive lung disease - Lung & Respiratory Disorders / COPD Message Board

katrincarla · 11-08-2004, 01:41 PM

Hello, I am wondering if anyone can help me. I have been dx as having restrictive lung disease. However, my chest x-rays are normal. Before I was dx with RLD I had chest pain and I had x-rays and the showed a possible tumor on the left lung (same side as the chest pain) but when I went in for a CT scan it showed that is was only a shadow and my CT came out normal. My question to anyone is; What can give you restrictive lung disease but show normal chest x-rays?

katrincarla · 11-09-2004, 01:09 PM

Yes I had a PFT - It was through the Veterans Administration and so I am not sure of the degsination of the person performing the test, but the test showed restriction and abnormal diffusion of gases. It takes a long time to get appointments so I can't get much else out of them other than Restrictive Lung Disease. I was however, being tested because of exposure to radiation, but again, no scarring or x-ray abnormalties.

wrin · 11-12-2004, 01:05 AM

Anything that reduces your baseline lung volumes can technically be classified as restrictive lung disease. Another reliable sign of RLD is significantly reduced volumes (restriction) in the presence of abnormal diffusion.

One does not have to have CT changes to have RLD.