Lung nodules are very common and most of them are found incidentally during a medical examination. Statistics show that the chances of discovering a lung nodule during a medical examination is around 30%.
Once you have received the medical report of a lung nodule, you may want to take a preliminary reading to get a general idea. When you read the report, the following aspects of the report should be taken into account.
Size of the nodule
A lung nodule smaller than 5 mm is generally benign and not a cause for concern; a nodule between 5-10 mm usually should be followed up; while a nodule larger than 10 mm need attention and further check-up if necessary.
Type of the nodule
There are three types of lung nodules: solid, ground glass, and part-solid nodules. In general, solid nodules are the least likely to be malignant and are not usually a cause for concern; however, if a solid nodule is malignant, it can progress rapidly. Ground glass nodules are more likely to be malignant, but they progress very slowly even if they are potentially malignant. Part-solid nodules are the most likely of the three to be malignant and therefore require the most attention.
Characteristics of the nodule
If a reported lung nodule has any of the following features, it is generally at increased risk of malignancy and needs to be alerted and managed accordingly.
- Burrs
- Lobules
- Pleural traction
- Vesicle signs
Multiple or solitary
Whether a lung nodule is benign or not is closely related to its type, characteristics, and specific risk factors, rather than to its number. In fact, multiple lung nodules are probably less likely to be malignant than solitary ones.
Final note
The above applies only to your own preliminary and simple reading of the lung nodules on the report. There are many different factors and characteristics of lung nodules, and accurate interpretation requires specialist knowledge and extensive clinical experience. Therefore, the diagnosis needs to be made by a pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon.