What is a lung nodule?
With the removal of lung nodules, the King of Spain, there are some doubts about the operation that has been submitted, which would be clarified. Questions such as: What is a lung nodule? Or is it cancer?.
A pulmonary nodule is a relatively spherical radiographic opacity, abnormal lung tissue, with a size equal to or less than 3 cm. and usually are diagnosed by chest radiography.
Pulmonary calcifications are calcium deposits in the lung that are associated with various diseases and conditions that predispose to its occurrence. May be presented in two forms: metastatic and dystrophic. The first is calcium deposit on healthy lung tissue, and second, on injured lung tissue.
In 60% of cases of solitary pulmonary nodules are benign.
It is important to verify its benign character, taking into account the following radiological criteria:
- The size: The smaller most likely benign.
- Presence of calcification: Especially if they are centrally located or in sheets. In these cases are probably benign, but do not ensure benignity. Are suggestive of malignancy eccentric calcifications, dystrophic, irregular or asymmetric.
- Outline: Indicates a benign lesion with rounded contours and well-defined borders. The edges lobed, irregular, and the presence of the sign of the Crown, are those of the NPS malignant.
- Doubling time of the nodule volume: it is an attempt to assess the growth rate of injury and may help to differentiate between benign and malignant nodules. Keep in mind that the duplication refers to the volume of the nodule and not the diameter. The calculation is done by multiplying the diameter of the lesion by 1.25. Benign nodules have very long times, averaging more than 400 days or do not grow. The primary or secondary malignant doubling between 20 and 400 days.
- Geographic location: In areas of high incidence of histoplasmosis
