Incidental pulmonary nodules: characterization and management

C Trinidad López; C Delgado Sánchez-Gracián; E Utrera Pérez; C Jurado Basildo; C A Sepúlveda Villegas

doi:10.1016/j.rx.2019.03.002

Incidental pulmonary nodules: characterization and management

Radiologia (Engl Ed). 2019 Sep-Oct;61(5):357-369. doi: 10.1016/j.rx.2019.03.002. Epub 2019 May 6.

[Article in English, Spanish]

Authors

C Trinidad López¹, C Delgado Sánchez-Gracián², E Utrera Pérez², C Jurado Basildo², C A Sepúlveda Villegas²

Affiliations

¹ Departamento de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital POVISA, Vigo, Pontevedra, España. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Departamento de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital POVISA, Vigo, Pontevedra, España.

PMID: 31072604
DOI: 10.1016/j.rx.2019.03.002

Abstract

This update covers the management of solitary or multiple pulmonary nodules detected incidentally in imaging studies done for other reasons. It describes the most appropriate computed tomography technique for the evaluation of these nodules, how they are classified, and how the different types of nodules are measured. It also reviews the patient-related and nodule-related criteria for determining the risk of malignancy. It discusses the recommendations in the guidelines recently published by the Fleischner Society for the management and follow-up of each type of nodules according to its size and risk of malignancy.

Keywords: Clinical guidelines; Computed tomography; Cáncer de pulmón; Factores de riesgo; Guías de práctica clínica; Lung cancer; Nódulo pulmonar solitario; Risk factors; Solitary pulmonary nodule; Tomografía computarizada.

MeSH terms

Aged
Female
Humans
Incidental Findings
Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
Male
Middle Aged
Multiple Pulmonary Nodules / diagnostic imaging*
Multiple Pulmonary Nodules / therapy*
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Tomography, X-Ray Computed