Nodule: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Nodule

Also written as: nodular opacity, nodular density, nodular lesion, micronodule

A nodule is a small, rounded spot that stands out from the tissue around it. In the lung it means 3 cm or smaller. Most nodules are harmless.

Seen on: Any scan

How it reads in a report

There is a 4 mm solid nodule in the right middle lobe; no routine follow-up is needed for a low-risk patient.

What it means

Nodule is a general word for a small, roundish spot. In the lungs it means a spot up to 3 cm across, and anything larger is called a mass. Nodules are also often found in the thyroid, adrenal glands and liver. Radiologists describe them by size and edges. They also note what they seem to be made of, such as solid tissue, fluid or a faint haze.

When it matters

Most nodules are harmless, for example scars from old infections, small non-cancerous growths or lymph nodes. Small nodules in the lung and thyroid are very common, and many need no follow-up at all. Size, appearance and your risk factors decide the next step: nothing, a repeat scan after some months or, for a few, another test or a biopsy. Guidelines such as the Fleischner criteria for the lung and TI-RADS for the thyroid set those steps.

Questions to ask your doctor

What size is my nodule, and what does it seem to be made of?
Do I need a follow-up scan, and if so, when?
Do my risk factors, such as smoking, change the advice?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.