A thoracic surgery clinic dedicated to indeterminate pulmonary nodules: too many scans and too little pathology?
OBJECTIVE
Widespread application of computed tomographic scans has increased detection of asymptomatic pulmonary nodules. A dedicated clinic was established to encourage referral and manage large numbers of patients with such nodules.


METHODS
Patients were evaluated periodically by a nurse practitioner with surgeon oversight, and follow-up imaging was centralized. Patients were rescanned at intervals on the basis of radiologist recommendation.


RESULTS
A total of 414 patients, 189 male and 225 female with a median age of 60.2 years (20.7-84.1 years), were evaluated since April 2000. Median follow-up was 1.51 years (0-6.65 years). Thirty-seven percent (153/414) were older than 60 years with at least 10 pack-years of tobacco use, whereas 30% (123/414) had never smoked. A total of 286 patients completed at least 2 years of follow-up computed tomographic evaluation. After 2 years, 24.2% (69/286) were deemed in stable condition and were discharged from further follow-up, whereas 22.4% (64/286) of patients were followed up longer than 2 years owing to the development of new nodules. Forty-five percent (127/286) of patients did not complete their recommended follow-up at our clinic. Overall, 3% (13/414) of our patients have been shown to have a malignant tumor. Only 5 patients underwent curative resection of a primary lung cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
In a population of patients with indeterminate nodules in routine clinical practice, few patients required intervention and few cancers were detected. Although the benefits of a "nodule" clinic may include patient reassurance and convenience to referring physicians, a significant number of patients did not complete their follow-up in our clinic.
Veeramachaneni
Nirmal K
NK
Division of Thoracic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110-1013, USA.
Crabtree
Traves D
TD
Kreisel
Daniel
D
Zoole
Jennifer B
JB
Musick
Joanne F
JF
Taylor
Nicole G
NG
Krupnick
Alexander S
AS
Gierada
David S
DS
Patterson
G Alexander
GA
Meyers
Bryan F
BF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055613:Multiple Pulmonary Nodules / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult