Question

I recently had a lung X-ray, and the result said it showed a 'borderline heart size'. What does that mean?

Answer

A chest X-ray which is read as having a borderline heart size is one in which the size of the heart is at the very upper limit of normal. This means that the actual heart size may be normal or slightly increased. If there is a suspicion of increased size based on symptoms, physical exam or EKG, as well as the chest x-ray, an echocardiogram may be performed to determine if it truly is enlarged. Only your physician can decide if this is warranted in your particular case.

If there truly were an increase in the size of the heart this could be due to an increase in the size of the heart muscle itself, or a dilation of the heart. Either of these could be due to numerous conditions, such as high blood pressure, genetic disorders, coronary artery disease, diseases of the heart valves and other processes. Please discuss this with your own doctor, who is the person who can best evaluate the significance of your lung X-ray findings.