A solitary pulmonary nodule is a round or oval spot (lesion) in the lungs that is seen with a chest x-ray or CT scan.

More than half of all solitary pulmonary are noncancerous (benign). Benign nodules have many causes, including old scars and infections.

Infectious granulomas are the cause of most benign lesions.

You have a greater risk for developing a solitary pulmonary nodule if you have:

• Tuberculosis or been exposed to TB
• Infectious lung diseases caused by fungus, such as:
  • Histoplasmosis
  • Coccidioidomycosis
  • Cryptococcosis
  • Aspergillosis

However, the above conditions makes it more likely that the solitary pulmonary nodule is noncancerous.

Young age, history of not smoking, calcium in the lesion, and small lesion size are factors associated with a noncancerous diagnosis.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancerous (malignant) pulmonary nodules.

Images

Adenocarcinoma - chest X-ray

Pulmonary nodule - front view chest X-ray

Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan

Respiratory system

Review Date: 08/17/2009
Reviewed By: Allen J. Blaivas, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine UMDNJ-NJMS, Attending Physician in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Veteran Affairs, VA New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)