The solitary pulmonary nodule: a primer on differential diagnosis.
Despite significant advances in noninvasive imaging techniques, management of the solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) remains a challenge for chest physicians. Patients with SPNs are frequently asymptomatic, and the physical examination is seldom revealing. Accurate diagnosis is essential, because >50% of patients will require prompt disease-specific therapy. The complexity of the problem is best appreciated by reviewing the differential list, which includes nearly 80 distinct clinical entities. Consequently, a thorough understanding of the more common etiologies is necessary to adequately treat patients with SPNs.
Murthy
S C
SC
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Section of General Thoracic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Rice
T W
TW
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000592:standards; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States