Classifying solitary pulmonary nodules - New imaging methods to distinguish malignant, benign lesions

Detected in about 1 of 500 chest radiographs, solitary pulmonary nodules are a common problem in primary care. Management of these nodules relies on correct diagnosis of indeterminate lesions, which allows curative resection of early-stage malignant nodules and avoids the morbidity and mortality of surgery for benign ones. In this article, the authors propose an algorithm that incorporates newer imaging and diagnostic methods to facilitate the evaluation and management of solitary pulmonary nodules.