Cardiac Amyloidosis
Cardiac amyloidosis is a type of disease that attacks heart tissue. It is caused by the deposition of amyloid (abnormal protein) on the heart surface, which makes it hard thus cannot pump blood properly (Martinez-Naharro et al., 2018). This disorder interferes with the normal conduction system of the organ by blocking the movement of electric signals throughout the heart. After amyloid is deposited on the tissues, the proteins replace the heart muscles, making them stiff.
The disease symptoms include the inability to exercise, frequent urination, especially at night, increased exhaustion or fatigue, breathing difficulty when lying down, and palpitations. Furthermore, an individual suffering the condition may experience swelling of legs, abdomen, and ankles. To detect the disorder, the following test can be performed; coronary angiography, nuclear heart scan, chest CT scan, echocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET).
TTR Cardiac Amyloidosis (Transthyretin)
TTR is a type of protein that aids in carrying vitamin A and thyroid hormones in the blood. It is made by the liver, and it consists of four similar parts. In this disorder, the unstable proteins break down then attach themselves to the heart (Siddiqi & Ruberg, 2018). There are two categories of TTR; Hereditary TTR amyloidosis and Will-type TTR amyloidosis. In hereditary type, there is a mutation of the inherited DNA amongst the family members. The changes make the familial TTR protein less stable hence capable of forming amyloid fibrils quickly (Rosenblum et al., 2018). The alteration of chemical composition makes it have different symptoms and affects either heart or nerves.
On the other hand, Wild-type TTR amyloidosis does not undergo DNA mutation, thus making the disorder not be transferred from one generation to another. This type of TTR majorly occurs as an individual gets older; hence, the normal proteins become unsteady, and the misfolds form amyloid fibrils. In most cases, upon detection of TTR amyloidosis, an immediate blood test is conducted to identify the type.
Lung Nodule
A lung nodule is a disorder caused by abnormal growth that occurs in the lung. It is a prevalent type of infection that may develop in one or both lungs. The leading causes of pulmonary nodules are either infectious or neoplastic. It may also represent arteriovenous malformations, hamartoma, resolving pneumonia, and pulmonary infarction (Loverdos et al., 2019). Furthermore, other roots of the disease are scar tissue, air pollutants, fungal infection, and autoimmune illnesses. Symptoms of pulmonary nodule include fatigue, chronic cough, chest pain, wheezing, hoarseness, loss of appetite, and pneumonia. During the early stages, it is less likely to identify the signs of the lung nodule. Sometimes the condition and indications of the growth may suggest lung cancer.
Based on the result of CT imaging, lung nodules can be grouped into three classes; first, ground-glass, which are not uniform in their appearance but have an unclear local decrease in lung parenchyma that does not block the vascular structures. Second, solid nodules are marked by soft tissues which are similar in form (Gould et al., 2013). Third, part-solid nodule exhibits both ground-glass and solid characteristics. The pulmonary nodule condition can either be multiple or solitary, whereby in the former, the nodule is bounded entirely by lung parenchyma (Tammemagi, Mayo, & Lam, 2013). On the contrary to the latter, which consist of several nodules which are nonsolid.
The lung nodule diagnosis involves taking a CT scan to enable the pulmonologist to identify the shape, location, and size of the nodule. Other tests, such as biopsy, entail removing a piece of tissue from the body for closer examination. Similarly, a physician may conduct a positron emission tomography scan to analyze whether the pulmonary nodule is cancerous or non-cancerous because of the ability to have finer details.
References
Gould, M. K., Donington, J., Lynch, W. R., Mazzone, P. J., Midthun, D. E., Naidich, D. P., & Wiener, R. S. (2013). Evaluation of individuals with pulmonary nodules: When is it lung cancer?: Diagnosis and management of lung cancer: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.Chest, 143(5), e93S-e120S. Web.
Loverdos, K., Fotiadis, A., Kontogianni, C., Iliopoulou, M., & Gaga, M. (2019). Lung nodules: A comprehensive review on current approach and management.Annals of Thoracic Medicine, 14(4), 226. Web.
Martinez-Naharro, A., Hawkins, P. N., & Fontana, M. (2018). Cardiac amyloidosis. Clinical Medicine, 18(Suppl 2), s30. Web.
Rosenblum, H., Castano, A., Alvarez, J., Goldsmith, J., Helmke, S., & Maurer, M. S. (2018). TTR (transthyretin) stabilizers are associated with improved survival in patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis.Circulation: Heart Failure, 11(4), e004769. Web.
Siddiqi, O. K., & Ruberg, F. L. (2018). Cardiac amyloidosis: an update on pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, 28(1), 10-21. Web.
Tammemagi, M. C., Mayo, J. R., & Lam, S. (2013). Cancer in pulmonary nodules detected on first screening CT. The New England Journal of Medicine, 369(21), 2060-2061.