Spots on lungs

[kaye42]

My husband received results from a CT scan.  His family practice physician said there are approximately 20-30 bilateral granulated spots on his lungs.  The doctor said to wait for 3 months and have another CT scan to see if these spots have increased in size.  

Is there an immediate test to determine exactly what these spots are?  Three months seems a long time to wait to see if a person has a cancerous problem.

[Grandmaw6]

A related discussion, Lung spots-1 growing was started.

[countykids]

I was just wondering how you made out with those spots on your husbands lungs.  I am concerned as we had discovered in 2002 that my son, then 9 years old that he had a spot on his left lung.  We found this out only due to being at Toronto Sick Kids for a Gastral Intestinal problem.  The radiologist found on an xray and had compared earlier xrays and discovered it had been there for a few years.  We chose just to keep following up with xrays, first 3 months then 1 yr, to make sure not growing.  However, the only person that can see them is the Radiologist at TO Sick Kids (the one who foudn them).  My son is often sick and a mothers paranoia soon takes over with every fever, cough or paleness of his face.  I am just not sure what to do, it is now a few years later, he is 11 yrs old, things are still ok however, the spot has not changed, disappeared or anything else. I am however, tired of living in fear of.  We have since moved and changeed Dr's this Dr., when I am explaining the situation tells me that it is quit normal to have granuals on the lungs?  I have never heard this from anybody before or even read about it, can anyone offer me anymore information? Thanks.

[National Jewish]

A nodule is usually a small, round spot seen on chest x-ray or chest CT scan anywhere in the lungs.  A chest CT scan is more sensitive and shows more detail than a chest x-ray.  The shape, smoothness, and density of the nodule will be seen on the CT scan.  This will help in determining what this could be.  If your husband has had previous chest x-rays or CT scans it would be helpful to locate them.  Then his doctor could compare them with his most recent CT scan.  The comparison could be most helpful to his doctor, in interpreting these findings and the significance of the nodules.

Nodules are due to infections, inflammation, or tumors.  Nodules that are 1 centimeter in size or smaller are very unlikely to be cancer.  The important thing is that they are not growing over time.  As long as your husband feels well it is reasonable to repeat the CT scan in 3 months.  Only if they have grown would more testing be done to know what these nodules could be.  When the nodules have not changed for 2 years they are considered stable and no further testing would be needed.

Please share with your husband