Lung Nodules?

[nicol612]

I had 10 noncalcified pulmonary nodules from 3-7mm show on a CT scan for something unrelated in Nov 08 when these were found. Since, CT scans revealed 2 more nodules in June 09 and now a whopping 15 nodules 3-7mm in size on my recent scan a week ago. Anyone have a take on what could be causing these? I am 32, non-smoker as of 6-09 and smoked for 23 yrs, since I was 9. the 3 newest nodules have come after I quit smoking. Drs tell me not to worry, yet cannot tell me the cause of these nodules or even what they are......Any suggestions? Im going crazy wondering.....

Thanks in advance!

[Julie20111]

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season and a healthy - happy New Year.  Have been busy and haven't been on line for awhile, nice to come on and see how everyone is doing.  Take Care, Julie

[BradR]

Congratulations and awesome news.  Perfect for the upcoming holidays!  I'll have my follow up on December 29.  My nodule is part-solid, which has me must more worried than solid.  Obviously, the hope is it is gone, smaller, or even stable.

[antoit]

At the moment what you have is a 4mm nodule in your lung which is, given the size, very low risk of being something dangerous and quite a common finding... It's not clear to me why your pulmonologist talked about multiple nodules before having a full chest CT scan....

Regarding the number of scans our body can take you are right...they are definitely NOT healthy. Few doctors are aware of that. The thing is that even if there is a risk due to radiation exposure it's still way lower than the risk of having you not having the scan and not knowing if something that needs treatment is there.

About the doubling time: this is uncertain. In case a nodule turns out to be a cancer the doubling time would depend of the kind of cells (kind of cancer)...There are many kind of lung cancer cells...some multiply very fast, some others extremely slow. Keep in mind that even benign nodules can grow...therefore the growing factor alone doesn't give a diagnosis...only a biopsy does.

Keep us updated if you like...

A

[franrap1013]

STABLE! AMEN! and ALLELUIA! He even said he doesnt think its necessary to do another one in a year! I didn't ask the sizes. Id rather just know they are stable and that be the end of it :)

[mr68gto]

Hello,  first post here.  Just need to vent a little bear with me pls.

I just retired last December 13, since then I have had a kidney stone with the usual renal colic, etc. In the process of diagnosing with CT and US they tell me I have liver disease and then tests for cirrhosis.   In the process of that, more US and MRI  they said I have kidney cysts, one of them complex which could be cancer.  So now more CT's for that and then finally on this last CT (november) I'm told I have a lung nodule.   This has been a hellish year for retirement.   On the bright side, now they don't believe I have cirrhosis and the complex kidney cysts don't appear cancerous on CT with contrast, so scans yearly on that.

On the lung nodule, the CT scan only went to lung bases so it just happened to show up on the very last slice/image at 4mm. Noted as middle lobe though.  No mention of borders, calcification/solid or not. I went and saw a pulmonologist and she said I need a full chest CT for baseline because there could be more nodules and this nodule showing up on the last slice might just be the 'tail' of a larger one.  This is all just crazy after all these other problems. I have NEVER smoked. She says I am low risk even tho I'm 59 and it is probably benign but have to check.

I'm just as anxious about all these scans. I've had a documented 110mSv of radiation fronm CT due to many many abdominal/pelvic CTs for kidney stones. Now I'm worried that this could cause a cancer.  I read 4mm is small but from everyone's experience, if it were cancer what is the average doubling time? Reason I ask is I want to put off this CT for awhile because I've already had more than the recommended amount of radiation this past year.

thanks

[Hudsongrl]

Hello there, at age 21 it would be unlikely your nodules are cancerous...and the size makes them not very suspicious as well. Are you scheduled for a repeat CT scsn in a few months? If the nodules stay the same size odds are good, all is well.