Lung nodule ???

[copyman]

i went for a routine cat scan of abdomen because i have hepatitis c. all other results were normal for the
abomen & pelvic but 2 small nodules were found on the lung. Besides the other abdomen stuff here is
the exact wording from the report:
Findings, "there is a 4mm pleural based nodular opacity as well is a 2.5mm parenchymal
nodular opacity in the right lower lobe"

Impression, "2.5mm and 4mm right lower lobe nodular opacities. Per Fleischner society
criteria, if the patient has known history of smoking,malignancy, or risk factors for
malignancy, then dedicated chest CT is advised. If no such history exists, no followup
advised."

Im very worried because i smoked for 25 years but quit 6 yrs ago after a bout with
bronchotis. Im 49 and in fairly good shape with the exception of some symptoms from the
HCV. I will make appointment with a pulmonanry doc but in the meantime i was trying
to get some advice to put mind at ease. how bad is this? is it always cancer? what are the
odds? from what i have read so far there can be other causes and was curious how
common this was becasue of what the report said about no followup advised for a patient
with no history? sorry to be so long with this post and thank you in advance.

[ccs4041]

A related discussion, nodules was started.

[ccs4041]

A related discussion, nodulars was started.

[capt10jim]

I was told only yesterday that I have two spots on my right lung!  One she said was related to sarkoidosis and it might be silica from old drug use but that the other was  not of this type.   I must go to a pulmonary man next week what do you think he will do on the first visit?  I am very anxious to fine out what it is.  I smoked for the past twenty years.

Also, following a suggestion that I learned from your discussions, I got a copy of some chest X-rays from two years ago.  The spots were identified via CT scan will the X-rays help the Doc?

[National Jewish]

By conventional standards, these are very small nodules.  While all cancers have to be this small, at some time in their growth, the great majority of nodules of this size, found fortuitously, as yours were, are benign.  There are many causes of nodules like these, the greatest number of them being due to infection, often from the distant past.  You should gather all your previous chest and abdominal x-rays and have them reviewed by the radiologist with these nodules in mind.  It is likely that, even if they were present in the past, they would not show-up on what we call 'plain films', meaning non-CT scan imaging, but you never know and, if they were present 18 to 24 or more months ago, you would be home free.

[coloradoman]

You may consider asking your doctor for Pulmonary Function tests if you do not already have them.

You may want to check with your insurance co. also to see what is needed to qualify for PET scan.  

Do they mention whether the nodes were calcified ?

If they did NOT do a High Resolution CT or contrast enhanced CT they may both may add usefull information.

These are simply some observations I noted during my experience, I have no medical training.