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What could be the cause of bilateral apical pleural thickening?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I did an x-ray for immigration purposes, and the panel of physicians said that my chest x-ray was abnormal. She has sent me my reports and asked me to follow up with another doctor. I wanted to know if the abnormality was a matter of concern or because of lifestyle issues.

Regards.

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Vivek Chail is a General Practitioner and Family Physician committed to delivering holistic and comprehensive healthcare for individuals and families. He provides preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic care for a wide spectrum of medical conditions. He provides patient education and lifestyle counseling for long-term health and wellness. He is well-versed in chronic disease management for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and thyroid disorders. He is an expert in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic illnesses across all age groups.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

As I can see, there is mention of bilateral apical pleural capping in the document shared by you (attachments removed to protect the patient’s identity). It means there is a possible thickening of the covering of both lungs in the upper chest area. While this finding is non-specific in most cases, it can be an indication of previous inflammation or infection in few cases.

Coming to the finding, it is not of serious concern and is unrelated to lifestyle changes. It might help if you get a CT (computed tomography) chest scan to confirm the finding and any associated lung changes.

Regards.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At November 7, 2021
Reviewed At March 19, 2025

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Vivek Chail is a General Practitioner and Family Physician committed to delivering holistic and comprehensive healthcare for individuals and families. He provides preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic care for a wide spectrum of medical conditions. He provides patient education and lifestyle counseling for long-term health and wellness. He is well-versed in chronic disease management for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and thyroid disorders. He is an expert in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic illnesses across all age groups.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Vivek Chail is a General Practitioner and Family Physician committed to delivering holistic and comprehensive healthcare for individuals and families. He provides preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic care for a wide spectrum of medical conditions. He provides patient education and lifestyle counseling for long-term health and wellness. He is well-versed in chronic disease management for conditions like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and thyroid disorders. He is an expert in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic illnesses across all age groups.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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