Does any scar in lungs on x-ray suggest TB?
Patient: I suffered from TB and is cured now.  I am planning to visit Muscat-Oman and require a family visa.  Whetther during tests conducted by GCC approved labs, if any scar is present in the lungs will they reject my visa.  Thaks and regards  A.K. Balasubramanian Doctor: Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic. I can understand your situation and problem. Yes, presence of scar tissue on chest x ray is strong reason to reject your visa. Visa authority can reject your visa due to having possible active chest infection like tuberculosis because of scar on chest x ray. So we need to prove that this x ray finding is due to old, healed tb and not due to active tuberculosis. For this you need to consult pulmonologist and get done CT thorax with Contrast and bronchoscopy with BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) analysis. If both are negative for tube than you can argue with visa authority that x ray lesions are due to old, healed, inactive scar and not due to active, infectious tuberculosis. So consult pulmonologist and discuss all these. Hope I have solved your query. Wish you good health. Thanks.