Pulmonary Nodule: The Daily PANCE Blueprint
Which of the following is the most common cause of a benign pulmonary nodule?
A. Vascular malformation
B. Autoimmune disease
C. Vasculitis
D. Infectious granuloma
E. Lipoma
Answer and topic summary
The answer is D. Infectious granuloma
A pulmonary nodule is a lesion that is <3 cm (30 mm) found in the lungs. It can be solid or sub-solid. The most common cause of a benign lung nodule is inflamed tissue due to infection/inflammation (aka granuloma). This would be like a nodule from TB, mycobacteria, or fungus. Other causes of benign nodules include autoimmune disease, vasculitis, vascular issues, etc. About 1% of nodules are cancerous (primary lung cancer vs metastatic). It’s important to determine the overall cancer risk of the nodule by 3 main things: 1) the size (larger = more likely cancer), 2) the rate of growth, and 3) the patient’s own risk factors (i.e., smoker or not). In general, a nodule that has not grown for 2 years is likely benign. So, what should you do with the nodule? You need to refer to Fleishner Society Guidelines to decide what to do (i.e., repeat CT scan, biopsy, etc). These guidelines outline the next best steps.
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Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:
Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Pulmonary ⇒ ⇒
