Incidental pulmonary nodules

According to data from the USA, the incidence of incidentally discovered pulmonary nodules is 5.8 per 1000 person-years for women and 5.2 per 1000 person-years for men. Their management as recommended in the pertinent guidelines can substantially improve clinical outcomes. More than 95% of all pulmonary nodules revealed by computed tomography (CT) are benign, but many cases are not managed in conformity with the guidelines. In this article, we summarize the appropriate clinical approach and provide an overview of the pertinent diagnostic studies and when they should be performed.