HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 2262010556v1 226/2/489    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Benjamin, M. S. Articles by Shepard, J.-A. O. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Benjamin, M. S. Articles by Shepard, J.-A. O.

Small Pulmonary Nodules: Detection at Chest CT and Outcome¹

¹ From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Founders House 2-202B, Boston, MA 02114. From the 1999 RSNA scientific assembly. Received March 5, 2001; revision requested April 8; final revision received June 14, 2002; accepted June 27. Address correspondence to M.S.B. (e-mail: matthew.benjamin@uhn.on.ca).

PURPOSE: To determine the outcome of pulmonary nodules less than 1 cm in diameter detected at chest computed tomography (CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Reports of chest CT performed during 6 months were reviewed to find patients with pulmonary nodules smaller than 1 cm in long axis for which repeat CT was recommended. Records were studied to determine whether follow-up had been performed, the initial nodules had changed in size, or nodules had been resected.

RESULTS: A total of 3,446 chest CT examinations were performed, with 334 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Three patients underwent nodule resection and had pathologic examination results positive for cancer; 185 underwent follow-up, of whom 13 had results excluded as indeterminate. In the remaining 172 patients, 88 had incomplete characterization because of follow-up of less than 2 years, which left 84 with nodule characterization at follow-up. When these 84 patients were combined with the three patients with nodule resection, the number yielded was 87 patients. Seventy-seven of 87 had benign nodules because of resolution or 2-year stability, and 10 of 87 had malignant nodules because of growth or positive histologic examination results. Nine of 10 with malignant nodules had a known primary neoplasm.

CONCLUSION: CT commonly helped identify small nodules. Increase in size occurred infrequently and almost exclusively in patients with a known malignancy.

© RSNA, 2003

Index terms: Lung, CT, 60.12115 • Lung, nodule, 60.332, 60.333 • Lung neoplasms, 60.32, 60.33

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Jeudy, C. S. White, R. F. Munden, and P. M. Boiselle Management of Small (3-5-mm) Pulmonary Nodules at Chest CT: Global Survey of Thoracic Radiologists Radiology, June 1, 2008; 247(3): 847 - 853. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. K. Gould, J. Fletcher, M. D. Iannettoni, W. R. Lynch, D. E. Midthun, D. P. Naidich, and D. E. Ost Evaluation of Patients With Pulmonary Nodules: When Is It Lung Cancer?: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (2nd Edition) Chest, September 1, 2007; 132(3_suppl): 108S - 130S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. S.P. Meirelles, Y. E. Erdi, S. A. Nehmeh, O. D. Squire, S. M. Larson, J. L. Humm, and H. Schoder Deep-Inspiration Breath-Hold PET/CT: Clinical Findings with a New Technique for Detection and Characterization of Thoracic Lesions J. Nucl. Med., May 1, 2007; 48(5): 712 - 719. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. B. Markowitz, A. Miller, J. Miller, A. Manowitz, S. Kieding, L. Sider, and A. Morabia Ability of Low-Dose Helical CT To Distinguish Between Benign and Malignant Noncalcified Lung Nodules Chest, April 1, 2007; 131(4): 1028 - 1034. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. H. O, I. R. Yoo, S. H. Kim, H. S. Sohn, and S. K. Chung Clinical Significance of Small Pulmonary Nodules with Little or No 18F-FDG Uptake on PET/CT Images of Patients with Nonthoracic Malignancies J. Nucl. Med., January 1, 2007; 48(1): 15 - 21. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Raoof, A. Amchentsev, I. Vlahos, A. Goud, and D. P. Naidich Pictorial Essay: Multinodular Disease: A High-Resolution CT Scan Diagnostic Algorithm Chest, March 1, 2006; 129(3): 805 - 815. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Allen-Auerbach, K. Yeom, J. Park, M. Phelps, and J. Czernin Standard PET/CT of the Chest During Shallow Breathing Is Inadequate for Comprehensive Staging of Lung Cancer J. Nucl. Med., February 1, 2006; 47(2): 298 - 301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. MacMahon, J. H. M. Austin, G. Gamsu, C. J. Herold, J. R. Jett, D. P. Naidich, E. F. Patz Jr, and S. J. Swensen Guidelines for Management of Small Pulmonary Nodules Detected on CT Scans: A Statement from the Fleischner Society Radiology, November 1, 2005; 237(2): 395 - 400. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J. Golding Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT): the dose challenge of the new revolution Radiat Prot Dosimetry, May 17, 2005; 114(1-3): 303 - 307. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-H. Yu, W.-H. Hsu, N.-Y. Hsu, T.-Y. Lin, T.-C. Hsia, S.-S. Sun, and C.-H. Kao The Use of Dual Phase 201Tl SPECT for Differentiating Pulmonary Malignancies from Benign Lesions Jpn. J. Clin. Oncol., August 1, 2004; 34(8): 445 - 451. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]