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Does a white patch on a lung X-ray mean lung cancer in men?

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

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am a 31-year-old male. I have been a smoker for 12 years. I am having throat congestion, a cold, and now having excess mucus production with no history of weight loss. I have taken a chest X-ray in which there is a white patch on the right side. I wanted to know if it is cancer? My father is a known case of lung cancer. All my blood test reports are normal.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have seen your X-ray (attachment removed to protect patient identity).

The chest X-ray shows a prominent right hilar area, most likely due to rotation. You were rotated in position when the X-ray was taken, which might cause a false appearance of right hilar vascular prominence.

To me, it does not look like cancer, but thought is to be given to your symptoms. If possible, please decrease and stop smoking. I will suggest a discussion of your symptoms and clinical examination by your doctor, and if there is a need, then a CT (computed tomography) chest scan can be done.

I hope this information will help you.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply,

I have taken the photo (from the computer) through my phone in a tilted position. Is there any chance of the lesion being a tubercular lesion? I have done the Mantoux test this morning.

I am planning to take a CT chest. Is it good to take a CT now?

Please suggest.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

The change in position is not due to taking the picture with a phone. The X-ray position rotation is due to the positioning problem while taking the X-ray. Tubercular lesions can be of many types and patterns. Any pattern can be found in TB. The Mantoux test is used to look for the tendency of tuberculosis, but it does not confirm TB in every patient. It can be falsely positive in some patients. A CT (computed tomography) scan is a confirmation test that will help to look for suspected disease areas in detail. If there are any symptoms, and if required after clinical examination, a CT chest scan, plain and contrast, is good.

I hope this information will help you.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.

Answered byDr. Vivek Chail

Medically reviewed byDr. Vinodhini J.

Published At February 5, 2020
Reviewed AtMarch 11, 2026

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

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Chest X-Ray White Patch Companion

How it works

A white patch on a chest X-ray can look alarming, especially when you already have lung cancer on your mind. But white areas on an X-ray have many causes, and most are not cancer. Here is what the different stages of reading an X-ray result actually mean.

1🩻

What
It Shows

2🔍

Common
Causes

3🫁

Hilar
Prominence

4🏥

When CT
Helps

5🚨

Red Flags
To Know

About the question that brought you here

You saw a white patch on your chest X-ray and your father has lung cancer. The doctor who reviewed this Q&A explained that the white area most likely showed rotation artifact, not cancer, and that normal blood tests are reassuring. What matters most now is talking through your symptoms with your own doctor and asking whether a CT scan is the right next step for your situation. Consult with your healthcare provider before making any decisions about further imaging or testing.

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