Abnormal Chest X-ray

[amberlynnloves 125]

My fiance had his medical exam on Monday. We got the results yesterday and it says that the Chest X-Ray was abnormal, but there were no signs of TB. He has a pacemaker and told the doctor and x-ray tech this. It doesn't say what the abnormality was.

Do you think this will cause a denial at the interview? He doesn't have TB or AIDS or anything like that. Just a pacemaker. So obviously the x-ray will not be normal.

I'm just freaking out here. Please help!

[HeatDeath 430]

I would be very very very surprised if the medical has been failed based only on an X-ray that doesn't show active TB. The pass/fail conditions for the medical are defined by law and are very specific. There is a specific and short list of conditions [active tuberculosis, certain STDs, drug use in the last 2 years] that trigger a failure. If you don't have one of those, you pass the medical.

In the worst case scenario, he may have a class B condition - a condition that doesn't cause a failure of the medical, but which they will require he seek immediate care for upon arriving in the US. Diabetes falls in to this category. I believe inactive TB does too. So might his heart condition.

Class B conditions only come close to affecting your visa issuance if they hugely increase the IO's estimate that the intending immigrant is likely to become a public charge, for example because the condition is something hugely expensive to treat like cancer and their sponsoring USC has no health insurance.

In this case, I am pretty sure the abnormality indicated simply is the pacemaker. I really don't think you have anything to worry about at this point, especially if your fiance will have access to your health insurance once you marry. I have Type II diabetes, and my USC now-wife wasn't working, so I wasn't going to have access to health insurance for quite a while after entry. The IO commented on this, but still let me in. You'll be fine.

[lisers76 1]

Did they fail him? Or make him return? If not, you are fine. I had to go for 3 chest X-rays before I passed. I had an infection that I was unaware of. It was scary because they didn't tell me what it was...just that they saw something. After three trips to Toronto (4 hour drive each time). Was finally approved. I wouldn't worry if hey said no sign of tb.

My fiance had his medical exam on Monday. We got the results yesterday and it says that the Chest X-Ray was abnormal, but there were no signs of TB. He has a pacemaker and told the doctor and x-ray tech this. It doesn't say what the abnormality was.

Do you think this will cause a denial at the interview? He doesn't have TB or AIDS or anything like that. Just a pacemaker. So obviously the x-ray will not be normal.

I'm just freaking out here. Please help!

[dianaguava 0]

Hi everyone,

I hope it is okay to revive this thread!

I am still waiting for our NO2, but I am looking ahead. I have tested positive for TB in the past (skin test), but my X-ray was fine. It is my understanding that once you test positive, you will always test positive. I am wondering if I will have to undergo treatment with inactive TB (someone here said that it is a class B condition). I have also read that as long as you get your doctor to make a note that it is inactive TB and that no further treatment is required, it should be fine. I would rather not take the medication if I don't need to. I remember my doctor saying it could cause liver damage, and it has to be done for nine months. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Edited October 4, 2013 by dianaguava

[dianaguava 0]

I just read here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextoid=eea823a46fab4210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

that one can be medically cleared for immigration purposes. I also read that you only need a chest x-ray if you have a skin reaction of 5mm or more. When I last tested a few years ago, it was 2mm.

Do we still need to undergo treatment after moving to the US if we have inactive TB? Should I get an x-ray through my physician soon, and/or take the medication, or wait for the medical exam? I think I should be fine, but I would hate to have the process delayed by months if I find out at the medical exam that there's a problem with my lungs and I can't be cleared until I complete medical treatment.

[dianaguava 0]

Oops, it was 5mm, not 2mm.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

I would wait til the medical exam. My mother is a carrier of TB (has had the skin test and tested positive) but has never had TB in her life. I don't even remember them asking any sort of questions about whether you have tested positive as a carrier for TB, at the medical exam. Perhaps do some more research online about that?