title: Incidental pulmonary nodules detected on abdominal computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the characteristics and outcome of incidental pulmonary nodules reported on abdominal computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A database search of abdominal CTs from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2006, revealed 413 patients with incidental pulmonary nodules and at least one follow-up chest CT. Demographic information, nodule characteristics, and eventual outcome of the nodules were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 413 patients, 56% had benign nodules, 11% had malignant nodules, and the remaining 33% had insufficient follow-up. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in the age of the patients, history of malignancy, and size of the incidental nodule between benign and malignant groups. No malignant nodules were found in patients younger than 59 years who did not have a known or suspected malignancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small pulmonary nodules (<8 mm) on abdominal CT in patients younger than 50 years with no history of malignancy are unlikely to be malignant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. cwu8@partners.org
authors.forename: Carol C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Carmel G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: Julia T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Elkan F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: Dushyant V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Sahani
authors.forename: Jo-Anne O
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shepard
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gilman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*