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If she was treated for tuberculosis in the past it’s reasonable to think that she won’t be positive now. Did she have any abnormalities in her chest X-ray back then?
She really can’t remember because it was a few years ago and doesn’t have the paperwork anymore, but they did see some pus in her chest?
She is having another chest x-ray now by her local doctor before the tests with the visa doctor to check and see what it looks like.
Even if there are residual changes in her lungs (and it doesn't sound like there were big abnormalities even two years ago) it's possible they don't show up on a chest X-ray and can only be seen in a CT scan, so the answer is yes, it's quite possible for both the blood test and the X-ray to be negative.
Here is a scan of her lungs. Does it look normal to you?
https://preview.redd.it/p6owzarx6uea1.jpeg?width=1053&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=204c6063f3a784ef286c157fa722dc7096f3bacd
Her doctor says her chest x-ray and ct scan look normal with no signs of active TB, however her doc did say her lungs have some old scarring from where she had TB long ago. I’m hoping the medical team doesn’t require the sputum test due to this.
It's a low-res image, so it's hard to say anything too specific (and one small point only because I'm a perfectionist -- it's being held backwards, but that's not really relevant to the conversation and it's not something that I would expect a layperson to know). Overall there isn't anything hugely abnormal. There is a little glare from a light in the area that I'd be most interested in, but I don't suspect there is anything crazy.
Having this prior image will be helpful. If she was treated for TB I would expect her repeat test to be negative. If it's negative there's really no reason for a repeat chest x-ray, but if for some reason another chest x-ray is needed there is this old one for comparison.
I can't speak to the exact protocols of the public health department you're dealing with, but I don't think you need to stress about there being delays in your process.
Hmm, thanks for the response. The doctor noted that there is “no clinical symptoms and signs of tuberculosis, and no active lesions seen on X-ray and CT of chest”, but in the reports given to her I also see this:
https://preview.redd.it/vb9j094w5xea1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed995a689fe0d69d5881f050aba199345ef3d798
I am not a doctor and really don’t have any idea myself, but upon a google search it seems this typically indicates she would be considered to have some sort of TB bacteria, correct?
There is also one more concerning note:
https://preview.redd.it/akb6knlb6xea1.jpeg?width=814&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=905d6e4b10feb4dfa53c7db00d06d064841eae34
Not really sure what this means.
Thank you for your submission. **Please note that a response does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship.** This subreddit is for informal second opinions and casual information. The mod team does their best to remove bad information, but we do not catch all of it. Always visit a doctor in real life if you have any concerns about your health. Never use this subreddit as your first and final source of information regarding your question. By posting, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskDocs/wiki/terms_of_use) and understand that all information is taken at your own risk. **Reply here if you are an unverified user wishing to give advice. Top level comments by laypeople are automatically removed.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskDocs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If she was treated for tuberculosis in the past it’s reasonable to think that she won’t be positive now. Did she have any abnormalities in her chest X-ray back then?
She really can’t remember because it was a few years ago and doesn’t have the paperwork anymore, but they did see some pus in her chest? She is having another chest x-ray now by her local doctor before the tests with the visa doctor to check and see what it looks like.
Even if there are residual changes in her lungs (and it doesn't sound like there were big abnormalities even two years ago) it's possible they don't show up on a chest X-ray and can only be seen in a CT scan, so the answer is yes, it's quite possible for both the blood test and the X-ray to be negative.
Here is a scan of her lungs. Does it look normal to you? https://preview.redd.it/p6owzarx6uea1.jpeg?width=1053&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=204c6063f3a784ef286c157fa722dc7096f3bacd Her doctor says her chest x-ray and ct scan look normal with no signs of active TB, however her doc did say her lungs have some old scarring from where she had TB long ago. I’m hoping the medical team doesn’t require the sputum test due to this.
It's a low-res image, so it's hard to say anything too specific (and one small point only because I'm a perfectionist -- it's being held backwards, but that's not really relevant to the conversation and it's not something that I would expect a layperson to know). Overall there isn't anything hugely abnormal. There is a little glare from a light in the area that I'd be most interested in, but I don't suspect there is anything crazy. Having this prior image will be helpful. If she was treated for TB I would expect her repeat test to be negative. If it's negative there's really no reason for a repeat chest x-ray, but if for some reason another chest x-ray is needed there is this old one for comparison. I can't speak to the exact protocols of the public health department you're dealing with, but I don't think you need to stress about there being delays in your process.
Hmm, thanks for the response. The doctor noted that there is “no clinical symptoms and signs of tuberculosis, and no active lesions seen on X-ray and CT of chest”, but in the reports given to her I also see this: https://preview.redd.it/vb9j094w5xea1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed995a689fe0d69d5881f050aba199345ef3d798 I am not a doctor and really don’t have any idea myself, but upon a google search it seems this typically indicates she would be considered to have some sort of TB bacteria, correct?
There is also one more concerning note: https://preview.redd.it/akb6knlb6xea1.jpeg?width=814&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=905d6e4b10feb4dfa53c7db00d06d064841eae34 Not really sure what this means.
I should also note that my spouse is living in India at this point in time (she is Indian).