Can a CT scan without contrast detect lung cancer?

Hello. The last year i started to experiencing symptomps like persistent dry cough, mucus, back chest pain and tightness only in a small portion of my right lung. These symptoms worsen alot with movements. Doctors told me this is asthma but i'm sure asthma affect both lungs. I recently had 2 xrays (both clear) and 1 CT scan without contrast. No signs of any disease. I'm 28 and ex smoker (4years) should i be worried? Is a CT scan without contrast enough to exclude lung cancer?

[KT22]

I’m not an expert but my husbands lung cancer showed up on a chest X-ray & subsequent CTScan with contrast . He went on to have a PET scan, MRI & Bronchoscopy .Could you talk to your GP about your worries or contact the Roy Castle Lung Foundation, their nurses are very helpful can give you good advice?

Stay safe x

[Hidden in reply to KT22]

I will, thank you

[JanetteR57]

Sorry to read of your symptoms and anxiety at the moment. Yes, a CT is enough to detect lung cancer - without contrast. The UK has some pilot lung targeted health checks aimed at those most likely to develop lung cancer (age, area, smoking history - ex or current, etc) and is only a low dose CT scan (as scans themselves carry risk from radiation especially if too many carried out too frequently) and they are very successful at detecting lung cancer and pulmonary lung nodules (which may or may not develop into anything serious - a bit like moles on the skin but inside the lungs). My tumour showed clearly on a chest x-ray so I was sent for a CT then the results of that prompted me to have a PET-CT then I saw a surgeon and had half my lung removed in Dec 2010 and diagnosed as non small lung cancer in Jan 2011 (never smoker). Lung cancer has very few symptoms and often is found in those who are also fit and very hard to determine which part of our lungs we are using in normal life which is why so many are detected at late stage. I was diagnosed in 2019 with dysfunctional breathing and have adapted my breathing after a series of nasty chest infections since 2015 and using mainly my upper chest/neck to breathe instead of diaphragm which naturally causes problems of shallow breathing, tightness, breathlessness and other symptoms. If all the imaging you've had so far is not showing anything at all, I'd be tempted to see what medications might be offered if it is asthma (diagnosed after proper spirometry tests) and go from there. the symptoms you describe could be many things - often most likely infection - asthma can affect the airways and lungs... good luck.

[Hidden in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank you so much forma all your time

[JanetteR57 in reply to Hidden]

If you have mucous, cough, and chest pain, it could be infection or some other cause so worth getting checked out anyway by your GP - anxiety can also make coughs and breathing worse. Lung cancer is very rare in younger people - although not unheard of - but well done on quitting smoking several years ago. worth strengthening your respiratory fitness with breathing exercises and keeping active once you've sorted out the cause of your current symptoms properly. good luck.

[Hidden in reply to JanetteR57]

What about copd?

[JanetteR57 in reply to Hidden]

Very unlikely - not usually diagnosed until after age 40 and many years of continued damage to the lungs usually from smoking. Lung cancer also extremely rare in the young. I was considered young and I was 52 when diagnosed (never smoker) Are you googling your symptoms? Many symptoms for respiratory conditions overlap which is why they can take time for accurate diagnosis.

Why not seek investigation from a healthcare professional to rule in or out anything more serious and hopefully suggest treatment to alleviate your current symptoms. My childhood/young adult asthma meant they initially confused my symptoms and misdiagnosed symptoms as uncontrolled asthma despite a large mass being visible on chest x-ray and all subsequent imaging techniques. I've had many spirometry and various other tests in the last 5 years and had confirmation twice that I do not have asthma at all. If doctors have suggested asthma to you- ask for tests to determine what might trigger these worsening symptoms - for some it can be cold air, humidity, smoke, perfume, allergies and can be worsened with other infections of the respiratory tract or chest. Inhalers are usually prescribed to control(prevent) worsening symptoms and relievers when things get worse. If you're still unhappy at the medic's suggestion, can you ask for a referral to a respiratory physician/chest consultant? good luck.

[Hidden in reply to JanetteR57]

Hello. I was just diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. Check my profile and my last topic if you would like to see more info about

[JanetteR57 in reply to Hidden]

Pleased you now have a diagnosis and hopefully some treatment. wishing you a speedy recovery.

[JanetteR57 in reply to Hidden]

bronchitis is often caused by infection or virus and can trigger more mucous. are you on antibiotics? I used to live in Italy (Milan) and know it can be very frustrating in the different health system. I have montelukast and symbicort inhaler as after many different tests I was diagnosed with hypersensitive airways and dysfunctional breathing (ILO/VCD). I didn't respond to the various asthma meds back in Oct 2010 when hospitalised as it wasn't asthma but lung cancer and all the tests have proved since then that I do not have asthma. I attended an ERS conference last year and was talking to a researcher who had a poster showing that many people diagnosed as asthmatic in younger life were not asthmatic as adults yet still kept taking inhalers/meds and had no follow on investigations. there are very few centres in the Uk specialising in some of the rarer conditions but the pandemic is highlighting the importance of lung health, stopping smoking or vaping and the impact of people's mental and physical wellbeing when they have respiratory conditions. As others have said corticosteroids (inhalers and tablets) need to be taken all the time to control the condition but it won't stop infections or viruses impacting from time to time which would require additional medication. Pleased you've quit the vaping and smoking and hopefully as your condition improves with the treatment and you can start to develop better lung health with physical activity/breathing exercises, you can start to improve your overall lung health. good luck.

[Hidden in reply to JanetteR57]

My bronchitis is the chronic form, it does not away and it's progressive. It was induced mainly by vaping. antibiotics do not help i've already tried it (i've not chest infection but permanent inflammation). I've already quit smoking and vaping several years ago but the damage was already done. I'm very sorry for your diagnosis of lung cancer.

[JanetteR57 in reply to Hidden]

Like asthma, COPD (including chronic) can be better controlled with medications, keeping active and other aspects like diet, breathing exercises, pulmonary rehab etc... you may find these links useful. I had a lot of bronchitis as a child and was immune to penicillin by the age of 4 and had my tonsils removed at 3.5 to supposedly help but the result was that most colds then went to my chest and I was diagnosed with asthma at 6. Throughout my younger life different things made it worse so I had immunotherapy and also learnt to live differently - it didn't stop me living.. by the age of 40 I had no asthma or hay fever symptoms but still developed chest infections. I had various breathing tests as a young person and saw various consultants. Back then, bronchitis was not bracketed as emphysyma/COPD but times change.... however there are many treatments and actions you can take even with a progressive condition especially being younger than the average patient. Even having half my left lung removed, swimming regularly and for long times improved my already fit lung function (130 lengths x 3 times a week before surgery) to the point that I increased it slowly to 360 lengths on one occasion and regularly over 250 lengths swimming 980 and 989 miles in 2012 and 2013 (surgery Dec 2010, diagnosis Jan 2011). since 2015 I've had a number of severe chest infections that have left me in hospital and one with a healthcare acquired infection resistant to antibiotics that will also stay in my system for life but each time I try and recover my fitness with swimming. being supported in the water makes it easier than weight bearing exercises where I struggle to breathe correctly but the lockdown last year means I've lost a lot of stamina, muscle and respiratory fitness but now I try and walk steadily several times a week. hopefully with some training and lifestyle adjustments you can improve your situation - giving into long term conditions mentally can leave us in a very different state of mind that's not always helpful to improve or manage daily life. hope you can find a coping mechanism before too long.... good luck. blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

[Travelhappy]

It did in my case. My lung cancer was discovered by a routine CT scan during a physical. It was my first physical after my retirement and my doctor ordered one based on the fact that I had smoked in the past (at the time I had stopped 7 years before). It was followed by a PET scan, and a biopsy which confirmed it. All the best