CT Scan and Bronchoscopy

[xstefani3x]

Hi.. i heard from my doctor today and they said they were going to do a CT Scan and a Bronchoscopy for Lily because of her yearly chest x-ray. They said the results they seen on it were abnormal (her results went alot worse) than what they are used to seeing so they are going to do these tests on her. Of course, that news just makes my day, but anyway i was wondering if anyone could give me any information on them and really what i should be looking forward too. She is going to be 3 at the end of May. It just scares me when they say things like that. Plus i'm not really all that trusting with the hospital she will be going to, bad experience when she was little. They can poke all they want on the outside, but not the inside! Thanks for any advice <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[xstefani3x]

Hi.. i heard from my doctor today and they said they were going to do a CT Scan and a Bronchoscopy for Lily because of her yearly chest x-ray. They said the results they seen on it were abnormal (her results went alot worse) than what they are used to seeing so they are going to do these tests on her. Of course, that news just makes my day, but anyway i was wondering if anyone could give me any information on them and really what i should be looking forward too. She is going to be 3 at the end of May. It just scares me when they say things like that. Plus i'm not really all that trusting with the hospital she will be going to, bad experience when she was little. They can poke all they want on the outside, but not the inside! Thanks for any advice <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[xstefani3x]

Hi.. i heard from my doctor today and they said they were going to do a CT Scan and a Bronchoscopy for Lily because of her yearly chest x-ray. They said the results they seen on it were abnormal (her results went alot worse) than what they are used to seeing so they are going to do these tests on her. Of course, that news just makes my day, but anyway i was wondering if anyone could give me any information on them and really what i should be looking forward too. She is going to be 3 at the end of May. It just scares me when they say things like that. Plus i'm not really all that trusting with the hospital she will be going to, bad experience when she was little. They can poke all they want on the outside, but not the inside! Thanks for any advice <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[2perfectboys]

hi stef?

My son has had both, with no complications, and I am glad we have these as markers. The CT was done when we went to visit a new CF clinic, they suggested it, as better than a Xray to show a baseline of his lungs. It was painless, except for an IV, if dye is used. Like I said I glad we have this because it gives a more accurate picture of his lungs. Then this last summer, he had been having problems with sinuses and possible polyops, they suggested a bronch. He had to be put under anesthia, but kids recover so quick and he had no side effects. He has never cultured anything other than staph, so I was anxious to see if he could of had things down in his lungs that we were missing with throat swabs, because he never coughed up anything, but all samples thankfully came back clean, and the look down into his lungs helped reasure how healthy he was and I would quickly repeat if trouble arose that needed addressing.

Hope this helps, I say go for it, u don't want your child to be a vodoo doll, but a through picture can be benifical now or even later

Lori

 

[2perfectboys]

hi stef?

My son has had both, with no complications, and I am glad we have these as markers. The CT was done when we went to visit a new CF clinic, they suggested it, as better than a Xray to show a baseline of his lungs. It was painless, except for an IV, if dye is used. Like I said I glad we have this because it gives a more accurate picture of his lungs. Then this last summer, he had been having problems with sinuses and possible polyops, they suggested a bronch. He had to be put under anesthia, but kids recover so quick and he had no side effects. He has never cultured anything other than staph, so I was anxious to see if he could of had things down in his lungs that we were missing with throat swabs, because he never coughed up anything, but all samples thankfully came back clean, and the look down into his lungs helped reasure how healthy he was and I would quickly repeat if trouble arose that needed addressing.

Hope this helps, I say go for it, u don't want your child to be a vodoo doll, but a through picture can be benifical now or even later

Lori

 

[2perfectboys]

hi stef?

My son has had both, with no complications, and I am glad we have these as markers. The CT was done when we went to visit a new CF clinic, they suggested it, as better than a Xray to show a baseline of his lungs. It was painless, except for an IV, if dye is used. Like I said I glad we have this because it gives a more accurate picture of his lungs. Then this last summer, he had been having problems with sinuses and possible polyops, they suggested a bronch. He had to be put under anesthia, but kids recover so quick and he had no side effects. He has never cultured anything other than staph, so I was anxious to see if he could of had things down in his lungs that we were missing with throat swabs, because he never coughed up anything, but all samples thankfully came back clean, and the look down into his lungs helped reasure how healthy he was and I would quickly repeat if trouble arose that needed addressing.

Hope this helps, I say go for it, u don't want your child to be a vodoo doll, but a through picture can be benifical now or even later

Lori

 

[folione]

My son with CF is almost 4 now. He has had CT scans and bronchoscopies twice and came through fine. But:

1. Ask the doctor if the result of the tests might change their treatment plan - if they're doing it just because they want to see what's in there and will not prescribe different drugs if they see something, then I'd tend to push back hard at the doctor to find out if it is truly essential to the good health of your child. The bronch. is invasive and involves anesthesia, so there are non-trivial risks that you should make the Dr. discuss with you in the context of what information/improved health will come of it. The CT is a big honkin' dose of radiation that is not in itself all that worrisome, but some CF hospitals are moving toward doing these every year or two for CF patients and the cumulative dosing might be something you want to discuss with the Dr.

2. If they're doing both, get them done close enough together so your child will still be woozy when they do the CT - it's a big machine and makes a fair amount of noise and the patient needs to stay still. Bronch. first then CT is what they did for my son.

 

[folione]

My son with CF is almost 4 now. He has had CT scans and bronchoscopies twice and came through fine. But:

1. Ask the doctor if the result of the tests might change their treatment plan - if they're doing it just because they want to see what's in there and will not prescribe different drugs if they see something, then I'd tend to push back hard at the doctor to find out if it is truly essential to the good health of your child. The bronch. is invasive and involves anesthesia, so there are non-trivial risks that you should make the Dr. discuss with you in the context of what information/improved health will come of it. The CT is a big honkin' dose of radiation that is not in itself all that worrisome, but some CF hospitals are moving toward doing these every year or two for CF patients and the cumulative dosing might be something you want to discuss with the Dr.

2. If they're doing both, get them done close enough together so your child will still be woozy when they do the CT - it's a big machine and makes a fair amount of noise and the patient needs to stay still. Bronch. first then CT is what they did for my son.

 

[folione]

My son with CF is almost 4 now. He has had CT scans and bronchoscopies twice and came through fine. But:

1. Ask the doctor if the result of the tests might change their treatment plan - if they're doing it just because they want to see what's in there and will not prescribe different drugs if they see something, then I'd tend to push back hard at the doctor to find out if it is truly essential to the good health of your child. The bronch. is invasive and involves anesthesia, so there are non-trivial risks that you should make the Dr. discuss with you in the context of what information/improved health will come of it. The CT is a big honkin' dose of radiation that is not in itself all that worrisome, but some CF hospitals are moving toward doing these every year or two for CF patients and the cumulative dosing might be something you want to discuss with the Dr.

2. If they're doing both, get them done close enough together so your child will still be woozy when they do the CT - it's a big machine and makes a fair amount of noise and the patient needs to stay still. Bronch. first then CT is what they did for my son.