Black spot on right lung

[TK2]

I recently had a chest x ray done as a pre-op test, the xray showed a black spot on my right lung.  I have never smoked and have always been healthy.  I have never had pneumonia.  Is this something to be concerned about?

[National Jewish]

The best person to answer your question is your doctor.

A nodule is usually a small, round shadow seen on chest x-ray anywhere in the lungs.  A chest CT scan is usually the next test that is done because it 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 you have had previous chest x-rays or CT scans it would be helpful to locate them.  Then your doctor could compare them with your most recent chest x-ray and CT scan.  The comparison could be most helpful to your doctors, in interpreting these findings and the significance of the nodule.

Nodules are due to infections, inflammation, or tumors.  Nodules that are 1 centimeter (10 millimeters) in size or smaller are very unlikely to be cancer.  A nodule that will eventually grow may be unchanged for 6 months.  The important thing is that they have not grown after 6 months.  As long as you feel well it is reasonable to repeat the CT scan in 6 months, again in another 6 months, and then, if no change is seen repeating the CT scan 2 years from when the nodules were first discovered.  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.

[OrthoRN]

Blackness on an x-ray usually indicates absence of something.  Lesions, tumors, bones etc... come up white or with some shading.  If a white spot appeared, I would be asking my MD about it!