Part of a health care regime may include periodic X-rays of the chest to check the lungs. Sometimes these X-rays return a "spot" on the lung. The spot may be benign, which means it is harmless, or it may be cancerous. If one has a spot on the lung, one needs to undergo further tests to determine what the spot means.
Identification
A pulmonary nodule is another name for a spot on the lung. If the nodule is less than 3 centimeters in diameter, it is called a spot. If larger than 3 centimeters, it is referred to as a mass. Pulmonary modules are round or oval in shape.
Facts
Pulmonary nodules or spots on the lung do not cause pain to the individual. They are easy to see when a health care provider takes an X-ray. They are not so easy for the health care provider to diagnose.
Types
Spots on the lung or pulmonary nodules are either benign or cancerous. If a nodule is benign, one does not need to do anything about it. It may have formed due to an infection in the lungs, which has cleared up. Just as a scab forms on a skin wound, a pulmonary nodule or spot forms on a lung wound. Your health care provider needs to treat cancerous spots as soon as possible for the best possible outcome.
Significance
Benign pulmonary nodules or spots cause no effect to the person as long as they do not change in size or color. When one has a spot on his lung, he should monitor this spot by getting regular X-rays to determine if the spot has not changed. If the spot does not change, one does not need to take further action. If the spot is cancerous, your health care provider will prescribe a course of treatment, which the patient needs to follow.
Warning
A simple chest X-ray easily detects a spot on the lung. Early detection of a spot or pulmonary nodule on the lung may lead to early detection of cancer. At this stage, there are no symptoms of cancer or any other warning signs. Obtaining a chest X-ray is the only way to know if a spot exists and is the first step in treatment for a cancerous pulmonary nodule. Many people do not get a chest X-ray as part of an annual checkup, but if one smokes or has other risk factors for cancer, one should consider getting a yearly chest X-ray.
Tags: health care, spot lung, care provider, chest X-ray, health care provider
