see also:

• the chest X-ray (CXR)
• oncology
• lung lesions

• lung nodules or masses are relatively common incidental findings on CT scans and are often a cause for concern and in some cases may be the cause of the patient's symptoms

• benign nodules and cysts
  • hamartoma
  • bronchogenic cyst
• nodules or masses suspicious for malignancy
  • pleural based lesions suggest mesothelioma
• known malignancy
  • lung cancer
• inflammatory or infective lesions
  • cavitating lesions which suggest abscess formation
    • tuberculosis (TB), Staph. aureus abscess; Wegener's granulomatosis, etc
  • granuloma - eg tuberculosis (TB)
  • “round” pneumonia
• enlarged LN's (generally lumpy rather than smooth contour):
  • inflammation - sarcoidosis, silicosis, etc
  • neoplasm - lymphoma, metastases, bronchogenic Ca
  • infection - tuberculosis (TB), histoplasmosis, EBV / glandular fever / infectious mononucleosis
• extra-pleural masses:
  • rib tumour, rib infection, neurofibroma, schwannoma, lipoma

• many require only 6-12 month re-imaging with CT scan
• those with highly suspicious features generally need urgent referral