Solitary pulmonary nodule.
Management of the solitary pulmonary nodule confronts physicians routinely. The key to management is to send patients with a malignant nodule for resection early, at the same time avoiding unnecessary surgery for patients with a benign nodule. After obtaining a thorough history and prior radiographs, the next best step is to obtain a chest CT. Depending on the probability of malignancy, the appropriate strategy can be determined and carried out.
Ireland
J C
JC
J University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, USA. irelandj@umkc.edu
Pyszczynski
Dennis
D
Van Way
Charles W
CW
D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted