The risk of malignancy is higher in those with fuzzy edges of ground glass nodules than in those with clear edges, but it is difficult to compare the two in absolute terms.
Pulmonary nodules are round-like masses ≤3 cm found on imaging such as chest CT and chest radiographs. Lung nodules may be the imaging manifestation of benign lung diseases such as sarcoidosis and pneumonia, or malignant tumors such as bronchopulmonary carcinoma and metastatic carcinoma. Ground glass nodules may be an imaging manifestation of inflammation or lung cancer with some risk of malignancy.
Generally, nodules caused by benign diseases have clear borders, whereas malignant tumors tend to show fuzzy borders due to their invasive and infiltrative nature, so the malignant risk of fuzzy margins is generally higher than that of clear margins. However, some benign lesions such as pneumonia may also present with unclear margins, making it practically difficult to compare whether clear or fuzzy margins are better.
Lung nodules are also evaluated on the basis of calcification, morphology and size of the nodule, as well as the individual’s age, history of lung disease, smoking history and family history. Patients are advised to consult a specialist for further examination and treatment as prescribed.