Pulmonary Nodules
Learn about Pulmonary Nodules including common causes, symptoms, and treatments.
What are Pulmonary Nodules?
Pulmonary nodules or lung nodules are abnormal growths in the lung.
hey are usually benign, may occur in one or both lungs, and may show up as a shadow on an X-ray or CT scan. They are very common, showing up in about half of adults who get chest X-rays or CT scans. In rare cases, they may become cancerous. Pulmonary nodules are smaller than 3 cm in diameter, while lung masses are larger than 3 cm in diameter
Symptoms of Pulmonary Nodules
Symptoms of Pulmonary Nodules are very rare. If a pulmonary nodule presses on an airway you may cough or wheeze. Contact your doctor if you have the following symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Chronic cough
- Coughing up blood
- Fatigue
- Hoarseness
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Recurring respiratory infections
- Shortness of breath
Possible Causes of Pulmonary Nodules
Some possible causes of Pulmonary Nodules may be:
- An infection that inflames lung tissue, causing a granuloma, or small clump of cells, to form which can calcify and become a nodule
- Noncancerous growths in the lung called neoplasms
- Air irritants or pollutants
- Autoimmune diseases
- Fungal infections
- Respiratory system infections
- Scar tissue
Risk Factors of Pulmonary Nodules
Anyone is at risk of developing pulmonary nodules. A patient’s nodules are more likely to be cancerous if one or more of the following risk factors are present:
- Current or former smokers
- Anyone over 65 years old
- Anyone who received radiation treatment to the chest
- Exposure to radon. asbestos, or secondhand smoke
Complications from Pulmonary Nodules
Complications from Pulmonary Nodules may include:
- Lung cancer
- Difficulty breathing if a non-cancerous nodule presses on an airway
How to Prevent Pulmonary Nodules
Learn about the Smoking Cessation program at Oneida Health.