lung

Explanation of medical terms-increased lung streaks, lung infiltration, lung fibrous calcification:

Increased lung markers (lung markers):

Because the alveolar tissue is extremely thin and full of air, it shows a black background on the chest X-ray, while the lung lines are white stripes on the X-ray, usually representing the blood vessels in the lungs. Bronchitis or early lung infections may increase lung streaks, causing the lung blood vessels to expand due to inflammation. In addition, if breathing is not smooth during the examination and the lungs are not fully relaxed, there will be an increase in lung patterns. As for the disappearance of the lung type, especially the disappearance of the unilateral lung type, the possibility of pneumothorax should be considered.

lung

How to treat:

In the chest X-ray report of a general physical examination, the lung pattern usually increases. However, this description is subjective and inaccurate. If there are no symptoms such as coughing, it can generally be ignored.

Lung infiltration (infiltration):

The word infiltration is translated from the word infiltration. This word means to unfold gradually. Lung infiltration phenomenon often refers to local inflammation of the lungs, causing edema of lung interstitial tissue, spreading along the lymphatic vessels. Lung infiltration appears as strips or flakes of white shadows on chest X-rays, which may be on one or both sides. Any acute or chronic lung infection, tuberculosis or even lung cancer can cause lung infiltration. Symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing are also common.

How to treat:

If there is lung infiltration in the chest X-ray report of the general physical examination, regardless of whether there are symptoms, you should return to the clinic to further investigate the cause and rule out the possibility of tuberculosis or lung cancer.

Pulmonary fibrous calcification (fibrous calcification):

The so-called fibrotic calcification refers to the scars left after tissue inflammation and injury. Pulmonary fibrosis can affect normal lung function and vital capacity, so appropriate treatment must be given in the early stage of the disease. Pulmonary fibrosis and calcification on chest radiograph showed multiple misty white streaks and white calcification spots, especially the lung tips on both sides. Pulmonary fibrosis calcification is a very typical symptom, which usually represents the scar left after tuberculosis infection.

How to treat:

In the chest X-ray report of the general physical examination, pulmonary fibrosis and calcification are almost synonymous with tuberculosis. However, a single X-ray film cannot show whether it is an active infection or an old scar. Therefore, we still need to refer to the old film, sputum examination, and whether there is fever, cough and other symptoms to judge.

Lung transplant:

Lung transplantation is a treatment that removes the lungs of a patient with severe lung disease and replaces them with the lungs of a new donor. It is used when there is no other effective treatment, life-threatening (2-year survival rate is 50% or less), and rejuvenation of lung transplantation can be expected. 

There are two types of lung transplants: 

brain-dead lung transplants and living donor leaf transplants, and there are two types of surgery: bilateral lung transplants and single lung transplants.

Lung transplantation has been performed in Japan since 1998, and as of the end of 2015, the cumulative number was 464 cases (150 cases of brain-dead single lung transplantation, 133 cases of brain-dead bilateral lung transplantation, 181 cases of living organisms). -Donor leaf transplantation) (Fig. 1). The most frequently indicated indications are lymphangioleiomyomatosis, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, bronchiectasis, and lung damage after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Figure 1 Annual transition of lung transplant cases:

The survival rates of patients who underwent lung transplantation were 72.1% and 58.8% for brain-dead lung transplantation, respectively, and 71.7% and 65.9% for living donor leaf transplantation, respectively (Fig.). 2). The revised Organ Transplant Law came into effect in July 2010, and it is possible to donate brain-dead organs with the consent of the family without the written intention, and the number of brain-dead organ transplants is on the rise. ..

Figure 2 Survival rate by surgical method (as of the end of 2015):

For more information on lung transplantation, please see the website of the Japan Society for Transplantation and the website of the Japan Lung Cardiopulmonary Transplantation Study Group.