title: Long-term follow-up of non-calcified pulmonary nodules (<10 mm) identified during low-dose CT screening for lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the long-term stability of small (<10 mm) non-calcified pulmonary nodules (NCNs) in high-risk subjects initially screened for lung cancer using low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 449 subjects initially underwent screening with serial LDCCT over a 2-year period. Participants identified as having NCNs ≥10 mm were referred for formal lung cancer workup. NCNs <10 mm diameter were followed in accordance with the study protocol. Seven years after baseline screening, subjects with previously documented NCNs <10 mm, which were unchanged in size after the 2-year follow-up period, were re-imaged using LDCCT to assess for interval nodule growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-three subjects with previously documented stable NCNs <10 mm underwent LDCCT at 7 years. NCNs were unchanged in 78 subjects and had decreased in size in 4 subjects. There was interval growth of an NCN (from 6 mm to 9 mm) in one subject re-imaged at 7 years, but this nodule has remained stable in size over a further 2-year follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-calcified pulmonary nodules <10 mm in size that are unchanged in size or smaller after 2 years of follow-up with LDCCT are most likely benign.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont Road, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Slattery
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Dermot
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: P Mark
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012307:Risk Factors; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*