Solitary pulmonary nodule


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Adenocarcinoma - chest X-ray
Adenocarcinoma - chest X-ray
Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan
Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan
Pulmonary nodule - front view chest X-ray
Pulmonary nodule - front view chest X-ray
Respiratory system
Respiratory system
Treatment

Most nodules in patients over 35 years old should be considered potentially malignant until proven otherwise. If the lesion is suspected to be benign, serial chest x-rays or CT scans may be taken on a regular basis for observation of the lesion. If the affected person is at high risk for lung cancer or if the CT scan appearance of the lesion suggests it is malignant, surgical removal of the lesion (excisional biopsy) is recommended.


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Expectations (prognosis)

The outlook is generally good if the nodule is benign.


Complications

The nodule could be due to a malignancy, including lung cancer.


Calling your health care provider

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



Review Date: 05/03/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.


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