Lung nodule causes include infection, inflammation, and scarring.
Less commonly, they can be sparked by a more serious condition such as lung cancer.
Most lung nodules are not cancerous.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
However, its essential to follow through on getting a diagnosis, even if youve never smoked.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
What Is a Lung Nodule?
Lung nodules look like spots on X-rays and CT scans.
Lung nodules are defined as being 3 centimeters (cm) or 1.2 inches in diameter or less.
They need to be at least 1 cm in size before they can be seen on a chest X-ray.
CT scans provide more finely detailed images and can detect nodules as small as 1 to 2 millimeters.
Lesions larger than 3 cm are referred to aslung masses, not nodules.
Lung masses have a greater risk of being malignant.
That’s why they’re usually found incidentally when a chest X-ray is done for some other reason.
Most benign lung nodules result from inflammation due to infections or illnesses.
When your lungs become inflamed, tiny masses of tissue can develop.
Over time, the clumps can harden into a nodule on your lung.
The causes of most benign lung nodules include:
Lung nodules are common.
Some of these include:
Certain environmental conditions can also predispose you to getting lung nodules.
Where you live, work, and have traveled can play a role, too.
Diagnosis
There are three diagnoses for lung nodules: noncancerous, cancerous, or indeterminate.
Indeterminate nodules cannot be definitively defined as benign or malignant.
Further tests may not be needed.
They will have you get another imaging test, usually in six months to a year.
CT scans can provide detailed images and are taken at different angles.
Hearing that your nodule or nodules are indeterminate can be confusing.
It is often uncertain whether the nodule is malignant or benign based on imaging alone.
Further assessed by biopsy is often needed.
Pack-year smoking history is a way to gauge how much you’ve smoked in your lifetime.
The recommendations call for using low-radiation-dose CT scans.
Screening with chest X-rays has not been shown to reduce the risk of dying from lung cancer.
Finding nodules does not always mean cancer.
In fact, most small nodules turn out to be benign.
Treatment
The treatment of lung nodules varies widely depending on the diagnosis.
Most lung nodules diagnosed using a CT scan are benign.
If the lung nodule is noncancerous, it might be able to be left alone.
In fact, treatment and survival rates for lung cancer, in general, have improved significantly over time.
Between 2018 and 2023 alone, lung cancer survival rates in the United States increased by 22%.
Chemotherapy drugs target fast-growing cancer cells.
The surgeon can remove the nodule with instruments inserted through one or two other small incisions.
Hospitalization time is also generally shorter and complications are less likely.
Thoracotomy is much more invasive than VATS and has a longer recovery time.
Summary
Lung nodules are small lesions in the lungs.
They are usually found with an imaging scan such as an X-ray or CT scan.
Lung nodules can have many different causes, including infections, scarring, and malignancies.
Benign lung nodules don’t need to be treated unless they are causing symptoms.
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