Summarize the radiology report findings into an impression within 3 sentences.
    INPUT: The patient is status post aortic valve replacement . Vague right mid lung opacity has improved somewhat . Chronic - appearing changes in the right lung including right apical pleural thickening , patchy opacities , and rib deformities appear otherwise stable since preoperative radiographs . Patchy left basilar opacity suggesting atelectasis has improved somewhat since the more recent prior radiographs , and a small left - sided pleural effusion appears similar to decreased . Mild degenerative changes are similar along the thoracic spine .
    OUTPUT:
    
Improving opacities within the background of chronic changes in the right hemithorax .