As seen in another post my wife as been diagnosed with terminal Lung Cancer. 

Three years ago she had part of her left lung removed with the cancer and also some local cells which did not show signs of Cancer.

After the surgery she was, (under the NHS guidelines) to be monitored for a further 5 years. This meant appointments to see the Lung Specialist yearly and the Surgeon yearly arranged so she was seen every six months. Each appointment included a new X-Ray prior to the appointment.

Not one of these X-Rays give any indication of the cancer returning in fact we were told that every thing looked fine.

My dear wife asked for a further X-Ray in June because of a cough and both her and her GP were not happy that it showed nothing so the GP arranged a CT-Scan.

This showed enlarged Lymth Nodes and a return of a cancer in her right lung.

My question is what is the point of X-Rays as a means of monitoring the Cancer when if fails to show up. Is it the cost implications that stop them doing CT-Scans 6 monthly. This may have actually shown up some time earlier.

I am not sugesting this would have made any difference to the outcome but curios to understand why X-Ray not CT-Scan.