HealthInfo Canterbury

Lung nodules

A lung nodule is a round area that's more dense than normal lung tissue seen on a chest X-ray or CT scan. They're very common and can be present in up to half of all adults' chest X-rays or CT scans.

Small nodules don't cause any symptoms. They don't cause breathing problems or chest pain.

Causes of lung nodules

Most nodules are caused by scar tissue, a healed infection or an irritant from the air.

But for a small number of people, a nodule is an early lung cancer.

Cancer is more likely if you:

• are older than 50 years
• have a larger nodule
• smoke or have smoked cigarettes
• have other cancer risks, such as lung cancer in your family or handling asbestos in the past.

But even if you have a higher risk of lung cancer, most small nodules aren't lung cancer. And if a nodule turns out to be lung cancer, it's likely to be an early-stage lung cancer and therefore curable.

Diagnosing lung nodules

Let your healthcare provider know if you've ever had a chest X-ray or CT scan in the past. It's very useful to know if your nodule is the same size as it was on past imaging.

To help decide the cause of a nodule your doctor will:

• see how it looks on the CT scan
• see whether it has grown over time
• if concerned, they'll take a sample (biopsy) of the nodule with a needle or surgery. Most people with a nodule won't need to have this test.

Following up lung nodules

For most nodules, your doctor will recommend getting more CT scans in the future to see if the nodule changes over time. This is called active surveillance.

If a nodule isn't cancer, it usually won't grow bigger. If the nodule doesn't grow over a two-year period, it's very unlikely to be cancer.

If the nodule is getting bigger, it needs to be looked at more closely to see if it's lung cancer. This will be done using different types of scans or by taking a sample (biopsy) with a needle or surgery.

Getting help with lung nodules

Contact your general practice team if you:

• cough up blood or have a cough that changes or gets worse
• develop new shortness of breath, chest pain, fevers or chills
• lose 5 kg or more of weight without trying
• are worried about the nodule.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Page created September 2022.

Sources

Page reference: 1032087

Review key: HILNO-1032087