A distressing trend is surfacing from routine CT chest scans performed in Delhi and the surrounding regions. Mahajan Imaging & Labs reports that close to 29% of more than 4,000 scans done in 2024 showed evidence of chronic lung abnormalities.
The findings are alarming as several of the patients diagnosed are in their twenties and thirties, an age group usually not connected with such long-term lung damage.
Professional Observations Raise Red Flags
The abnormalities that have been identified include bronchiectasis, emphysema, fibrosis, and wall thickening in the bronchi—changes typical of older people or chronic smokers.
“This is not a formal clinical study, but an observation from routine diagnostic scans.
Almost one in three scans reveals chronic lung change.” That’s very disturbing, particularly considering the age of these people,” expressed Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Chief Radiologist and Founder of Mahajan Imaging & Labs.
He further added that once cases involving infections or tumors are eliminated, the proportion of structural damage seems higher.
Lifestyle and Pollution: A Deadly Combination
While direct causality cannot be established, the rise in lung damage is believed to result from a mix of environmental and lifestyle-related factors.
Delhi’s well-documented air pollution crisis plays a major role, but indoor air quality, passive smoke exposure, vaping, and delays in diagnosis of respiratory problems are also likely contributors.
These factors may be silently deteriorating lung health in individuals who otherwise appear young and healthy.
The Case for Early Screening and Awareness
The proposed timing of this revelation coincides with world anti-tobacco campaigns, but the essence of the message transcends tobacco.
Experts recommend that younger people, particularly those residing in urban places with intense exposure to environmental toxins, embrace early screening, even without symptoms.
This trend mirrors trends observed worldwide, including in Brazil, where comparable problems are being reported among the young.
In India, such warning signs need to be caught early by timely medical examinations before the damage is irreversible.
