Ask your doctor about the risks of a biopsy versus monitoring the size of the nodule with regular x-rays.

Reasons for a biopsy or removing the nodule may include:

• Smoking
• The nodule size has grown compared to earlier x-rays
• A CT scan suggests the lesion is malignant (cancerous)

The outlook is generally good if the nodule is benign. If the nodule does not grow larger over a 2-year period, under most circumstances nothing more need be done. On occasion, the appearance of the nodule on CT scan may warrant continued follow-up.

A solitary pulmonary nodule is usually found by your health care professional when a chest x-ray is performed for some other reason.

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)