Benign non-inflammatory intrapulmonary nodules usually do not change much within a year, while inflammatory nodules and malignant tumor nodules are more variable and require regular imaging for follow-up observation.
Intrapulmonary nodules are detected by CT or X-ray examination of the lungs. Clinically, lung occupations within a diameter of 3cm are defined as pulmonary nodules, of which those within a diameter of 1cm are small pulmonary nodules.
There are many reasons for the appearance of nodules in the lungs. Small nodules are mostly distributed and associated with atmospheric pollution, long-term smoking, and dust particles in the working environment; some lung nodules are associated with inflammatory diseases of the lungs, such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.
If the nodules are caused by environmental stimuli or benign diseases, most of them are in a stable state, the nodules do not significantly affect the function of the lungs, and the patients do not have obvious discomfort symptoms. It is recommended to review the lung CT once a year to observe that the size and number of nodules are relatively stable, which means that the lung nodules do not change much.
If the lung nodules are associated with malignant diseases, such as lung cancer, the diameter of the lung nodules will become significantly larger within a few months, and the number of nodules may also increase, and if CT examination is performed, the nodule changes are obvious within a year.
After the discovery of nodules in the lungs, it is important to have further examination and follow the doctor’s instructions for follow-up or treatment response.