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What Do Stable Lung Nodules Indicate?
Question: I have just had a follow-up Cat Scan for 3 small lung nodules that were found last year. Good news is that in this latest test the results say that they are all stable and have the appearance of scar. Does that imply that these nodule are old scar tissue in the lungs which I understand is quiet a common cause of nodules? Non smoker
Brief Answer:
Please go through the text
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your query.
If a nodule remains stable for 2 years the chance of malignancy of those nodules is almost nil. Moreover old scar tissue is almost always evidence of past infections and risk of malignancy is very negligible in such a lesion but still malignancy can arise from a very negligible percentage of scar lesion in lungs. Therefore I would recommend you to go for another follow up scan after 1 more year from this scan to look for especially the size of the lesions. If even then it remains stable then no other follow up scan is required. These nodules to be XXXXXXX have the high possibility to be the old scar tissue in the lungs but you should have another follow up CT scan after one more year.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr Arnab Maji
MBBS, MD
Consultant Pulmonologist
Please go through the text
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your query.
If a nodule remains stable for 2 years the chance of malignancy of those nodules is almost nil. Moreover old scar tissue is almost always evidence of past infections and risk of malignancy is very negligible in such a lesion but still malignancy can arise from a very negligible percentage of scar lesion in lungs. Therefore I would recommend you to go for another follow up scan after 1 more year from this scan to look for especially the size of the lesions. If even then it remains stable then no other follow up scan is required. These nodules to be XXXXXXX have the high possibility to be the old scar tissue in the lungs but you should have another follow up CT scan after one more year.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr Arnab Maji
MBBS, MD
Consultant Pulmonologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you.
So you are saying that even benign scar tissue can develop into cancer (albeit a very small risk)?
Also, the size of the nodules in the latest report have changed a little (very little) - Two are now 1mm smaller and 1 is 1mm larger.
Is this size fluctuation normal even though they are "Stable"? is it due to a slight different image or the person reading the image? Or what would cause that?
So you are saying that even benign scar tissue can develop into cancer (albeit a very small risk)?
Also, the size of the nodules in the latest report have changed a little (very little) - Two are now 1mm smaller and 1 is 1mm larger.
Is this size fluctuation normal even though they are "Stable"? is it due to a slight different image or the person reading the image? Or what would cause that?
Brief Answer:
please go through the text below
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing back.
Usually adenocarcinoma can develop in a scar tissue in less than 1% cases. Usually scar tissue becomes decreased in size due to contracture of scar tissue. Whenever a scar tissue increases in size it is alerting sign for a pulmonologist but increment will be of significant degree. Very minimal size fluctuation as in your case is normal and it may be because of technical fault or inter-observer variation. Ideally these lesions are to be followed up by serial yearly CT scan and if it remains stable for 2 years usually no further investigations are required. In all probability your lesions are benign in nature and you should have another followed up scan after 1 year.
If you have further queries you can ask me.
If you are happy with my reply please write a review for me.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr Arnab Maji
MBBS, MD
Consultant Pulmonologist
please go through the text below
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing back.
Usually adenocarcinoma can develop in a scar tissue in less than 1% cases. Usually scar tissue becomes decreased in size due to contracture of scar tissue. Whenever a scar tissue increases in size it is alerting sign for a pulmonologist but increment will be of significant degree. Very minimal size fluctuation as in your case is normal and it may be because of technical fault or inter-observer variation. Ideally these lesions are to be followed up by serial yearly CT scan and if it remains stable for 2 years usually no further investigations are required. In all probability your lesions are benign in nature and you should have another followed up scan after 1 year.
If you have further queries you can ask me.
If you are happy with my reply please write a review for me.
Thank you.
Regards,
Dr Arnab Maji
MBBS, MD
Consultant Pulmonologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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