Managing solitary pulmonary nodules

ABSTRACT

A solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) on a chest radiograph represents a major diagnostic dilemma. The goals of management are to resect malignant tumors without delay and to avoid unnecessary thoracotomy if the nodule is benign. But because of the difficulty distinguishing benign from malignant nodules, even with advances in imaging techniques, these goals cannot be met in all cases.