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Regular CT vs HRCT

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Nov 8, 2023 | Replies (13)

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@cwal

Maybe? Here is the direct quote- ....."No characteristically tree in bud pattern to suggest mycobacterial infection"
It is a confusing picture from previous regular CT reports to the statement in the HRCT. I was Dx with MAC per bronch specimen a couple of years ago.

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Replies to "Maybe? Here is the direct quote- ....."No characteristically tree in bud pattern to suggest mycobacterial infection"..."

MAC can go away spontaneously, especially if you do airway clearance.
For example, I had tree-in-bud nodules and a positive sputum culture in late 2019, but elected to stop the antibiotics in December of that year due to increasingly severe side effects from the daily regimen. I continued daily airway clearance with 7% saline and an Aerobika. I also use Mucinex and NAC to thin my mucus, and an inhaler to control my asthma.
One year later, my CT scan looked better than the day I stopped. It has remained stable ever since.
Also, a HRCT may show the exact lung condition more clearly, making it possible for the radiologist to recognize that what were reported as tree in bud previously was perhaps scar tissue or other artifacts of a previous infection. Again, for example, I have one area in my lungs that always shows "some opacity" on scans but in 5 years, it has never developed into something identifiable.
What does the doctor say?
Sue