The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] I have been ill for 6 weeks and my GP suspected pneumonia and I was put on antibiotics.  The third one has almost cleared the infection.  However, I had an X-ray and it apparently showed nothing at all, although all my symptoms were in line with pneumonia and my GP had definitely heard a lot of crackles in the left lung.  Is it possible that I had pneumonia if the Xray was clear?
[|AI|]  Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your concern. For diagnosis of pneumonia, chest x-ray need to have infiltration. With normal chest x-ray, pneumonia is not possible. Cough, congestion, crackles on auscultation are also seen with bronchitis. And bronchitis shows normal chest x-ray too. So it is quite possible that you improve within antibiotic because antibiotics also work in bronchitis. So I don't think you are having pneumonia because your chest x-ray is normal. Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
