Hello doctor,A recent non-contrast CT scan of thorax, taken 10 weeks after undergoing a right hemicolectomy, showed:1. Expansible sclerotic lesion in right rib may be benign. Bone scan might be useful.Given that I have only one kidney left, how would the injection of radioactive substances affect my single kidney?2. Moderate right pleural effusion. What are the risks of draining this effusion? What natural alternatives are there (home remedies)? How urgent is it to drain this moderate effusion?I have right pleural effusion, no chest pain, but some shortness of breath especially when climbing stairs.
Hello,  Welcome to ChatDoctor. To answer your first question, it all depends upon your creatinine clearance (how good is the remaining kidney functioning), also the reason why one would want to investigate this lesion further. Say for example if I am concerned about a metastatic lesion I would consider a PET-CT (positron emission tomography-computed tomography) if I am worried about a primary bone cancer an MRI and so forth. Moderate pleural effusion in a diagnosed condition is treated by watching closely and making sure that it is improving by serial chest x-rays. However, if it is a new onset of pleural effusion then it should be  ChatDoctor.  Salt restriction in a patient with heart failure, liver and kidney issues helps to improve the pleural effusion. I hope this helps. 