Anonymous wrote:OP here. Just to clarify, I am not trying to ignore, his from it. I am just trying to not go suicidal while waiting on follow up scan next week.

Def do not panic. Most lung nodules are not cancer (I was just at the pulminologist on Monday and sat in the exam room under a poster saying so 😊). I have had two, each from a prior infection as a pp said and no one is worried. I see a pulminolgist regularly for a different lung issue andthey are not concerned at all about the nodules.

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t stable mean it has been seen before, and is not changing?

They compared 3 months ago and last one and made comment it was same 3 months ago. But 3 months ,plus assessing size via XRay is very iffy..

Anyway, there was no nodule, it is my bone rib attachment junction somewhat weird which gave this nodular impression on XRay. According to the report there were no nodules at all... But waiting scared me big time

Doesn’t stable mean it has been seen before, and is not changing?

OP update.. the nodule seem on XRay was not really a nodule, some focal angulation related to old trauma or developmental. No nodules found at all. Not sure what that means, but assuming some normal chest tissues that appeared as density

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t sound like a big deal at all. If it has been stable since 2019 there is no reason to think it will change further.

I do not know if it was on 2019. I compared images, it seems it was there.. but maybe not. The radiologist only mentioned 3 months back latest XRay and said "stable". November was my first pneumonia XRay, but at that time that radiologist who read it did not mention it. However once you know it is there from last exam, you can find it on the first. Even I could find it now that I know it is there. But looking at 2019 I am not sure I can clearly see that spot .
Anyway, it is what it is. Trying to hold for best. As somebody said before, even if I am unlucky, at least I caught it way before most people would have, because most normal people will not do 4 follow up X-rays for assurance that pneumonia resolved.

It doesn’t sound like a big deal at all. If it has been stable since 2019 there is no reason to think it will change further.

Anonymous wrote:OP, anybody had noodles that were not c-word?

Yes my mil after pneumonia.

Anonymous wrote:My husband had a nodule found and they did a ct every six months for two years. It grew very slightly but once over 1 cm they opted for surgical removal - turned out it was a slow growing cancer, fully removed with surgery. Now he continues with scans every six months.

How long ago was it? No more new nodules? I am still hoping for someone benign... But mentally want to be ready for other options

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be an abscess, could be a cyst, could be a tumour...this is where a PET scan is helpful.

CT scan would probably be first next step

Nope. Directly to PET. Don't mess around, OP.

No way you go right to a PET scan, that’s a looooooooot of whole body radiation! A chest CT scan is the appropriate next step. Unless long term stability can be confirmed on a CXR.

That's what I understood, CT scan is normal next step to see details of the nodule and other structures in upper chest. Pet if needed will focus on this specific nodule. Plus it does give you triple amount of radiation.

My husband had a nodule found and they did a ct every six months for two years. It grew very slightly but once over 1 cm they opted for surgical removal - turned out it was a slow growing cancer, fully removed with surgery. Now he continues with scans every six months.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DH had this and was nothing. Don't worry yet but ask the dr. My DH just had to monitor it and was from an old infection.

How large was it and how was it found?

smallish and found incidentally on a heart exam.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be an abscess, could be a cyst, could be a tumour...this is where a PET scan is helpful.

CT scan would probably be first next step

Nope. Directly to PET. Don't mess around, OP.

No way you go right to a PET scan, that’s a looooooooot of whole body radiation! A chest CT scan is the appropriate next step. Unless long term stability can be confirmed on a CXR.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask them to look at old films to see if they can see this in previous studies. See if changed in size.

I only had one in 2019. Then a series of 5 between November and now. Nobody ever took y me there was something on the first 4 of the latest series, but the last one says "1 cm STABLE nodule"... And in the upper section of the report it references comparison to prior images. Sounds like they picked it visually up on the latest and compared to prior, found it there too thus concluding "stable"?

If it hasn’t grown since 2019, I imagine that’s a good thing. My dad has nodules that they monitor for growth over the years. There have been no changes, so they just periodically watch them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be an abscess, could be a cyst, could be a tumour...this is where a PET scan is helpful.

CT scan would probably be first next step

Nope. Directly to PET. Don't mess around, OP.

DP but why CT and not PET?

OP here. Just to clarify, I am not trying to ignore, his from it. I am just trying to not go suicidal while waiting on follow up scan next week.