Incidental lung nodule different Dr opinions help

I would have the PET. I don’t believe in wait and see,

Similar occurrence happened to me, I went to a pulmonoligists. Did a lung biopsy ( CT guided needle, just discomfort not really pain) found out i have MALT
. Something we just have checked each year. So far for rhe last 5 years..I do see an Oncology for it, it's something that is there that may never be an issue. I have no breathing issues.

@alic Lung nodules, especially in people with asthma, or other lung diseases, are commonly "artifacts" of infections, either past or present. Since the second scan showed a decrease in the size, it supports the lung doc's opinion that it is infection - malignant nodules, as far as I know, don't get smaller.

Something else to consider - even if you got a PET scan at this point, and the nodule "lit up", it still could be an infection OR possibly malignant. But 7mm is too small to accurately biopsy, so you would end up waiting another 3-6 months to be checked again.

Only you can decide whether you would gain from having tests done twice.

@love4food how large was yours and how did they biopsy it ?

@sueinmn thanks ..I have 2 little ones they found 2 years ago and they are unchanged and stopped following them. I just was shocked when I heard I had a new one ..both radiologist said the area looks infection with a mild increase in node. That why they said it would light up. I don’t want a biopsy if I don’t have to. You said 7mm too small? Thanks

@alic First let's translate 7mm - it is just over 1/4". Here is what a pulmonologist said to me - "Imagine trying to guide a needle to a moving target smaller than your baby toenail, pierce it without going all the way through it, and extract cells from it to test."
In general, where there is a minimal risk of cancer, most doctors practice watch and wait on nodules smaller than 15-20mm.

It might help you to know that small nodules have about a 5% chance of being malignant, and one of the key factors evaluated during watch and wait is whether the nodule grows, and how fast. With your history as a non-smoker with asthma and repeated infections, as well as other nodules that have not grown over time, your doctor probably fells your risk is even lower.

I hope all of this information eases your mind as you watch and wait. In the meanwhile, one thing you can do to help your lungs is to keep your asthma well-controlled so additional problems don't occur.

@alic 1 cm range.
CT Scan guided biopsy, and they use a need through your chest to a spot. Surprisingly minimal discomfort, they numb the area. You have to be awake, they have you hold your breath for 10 secs at times. If you Google CT Scan guided lung biopsy it will pop up. Then you will know your situation.
Hope this helps! Best

@love4food
Ps now that I look back at the report there was a 8mm size also. I had a few.

Well I had a Nodify test to just make me feel more comfortable…well that was two weeks ago. I just got a call that I was positive. They were all telling me this was 99.9 percent infection…I’m a mess. Have any of you had this test

@alic That must be a relief, and infection can be treated. Do you know if they got enough tissue to do a culture and to find out what the infection is? What symptoms do you have in addition to the nodules? Have you been diagnosed with Bronchiectasis?

Many of our members have infections, the less severe are being watched, the along with airway clearance, quite often your body can manage them. If you have other symptoms, you will need an excellent pulmonologist to help decide when and how to treat it.