Lung issues plus positive blood results on autoimmune disorders

[armygurl11]

Since then, I had a CT scan which showed tree in bud in both lower lungs and also a calcifying 'consolidation of nodules' in my right upper lung.  I am assymptomatic.  My pulmonologist ran blood tests to rule out fungal infections, etc...well, I found out I'm ANA positive on both tests, I tested high (1.4) on SCL-70 and high (1.7) on anti-chromatin.  Does this potentially mean that the issues with my lungs are due to an autoimmune disease?  I'm getting a PET scan this Friday to rule out cancer (they don't think it is, but I guess won't know until the PET and/or a biopsy if needed).  I'm curious if anyone has lung issues and an autoimmune disorder.  I'm scared.  Thank you for your time!

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi armygurl11.

"The presence of anti-Scl-70 antibodies increases the risk for diffuse skin involvement and scleroderma lung disease."
--Source: The clinical relevance of autoantibodies in scleroderma.

"Anti-Scl 70 antibodies are highly specific for scleroderma and are seldom present in other diseases."
--Source: Sclero dot org

"The formation of autoantibodies against chromatin is the main feature of systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE)"
--Source: Triggers for anti-chromatin autoantibody production in SLE. LUPUS Dec. 2002, Sage Journals

"Chromatin Antibody plays a central role in the autoimmune response in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Approximately 90% of patients with SLE have sera that will exhibit reactivity to nucleosomes."
---Source: Quest Diagnostics

Patients with positive Scl-70 and/or Chromatin auto-antibodies do not necessarily have SLE, Scleroderma
or other autoimmune disease.
Further testing is recommended to rule out the above.

Also, it would be useful to rule out low thyroid function, which has been linked to the aforementioned conditions,
as an underlying factor.
Ask fo Free T3, Free T4 and Reverse T3 thyroid tests,
to rule out both type 1 and type 2  (thyroid resistance) hypothyroidism.

Best wishes,
Niko