Faculty Collaboration Database

A practical algorithmic approach to the diagnosis and management of solitary pulmonary nodules: part 2: pretest probability and algorithm. Chest 2013 Mar;143(3):840-846

Date

03/06/2013

Pubmed ID

23460161

DOI

10.1378/chest.12-1487

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84874968593 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   89 Citations

Abstract

In this second part of a two-part series, we describe an algorithmic approach to the diagnosis of the solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN). An essential aspect of the evaluation of SPN is determining the pretest probability of malignancy, taking into account the significant medical history and social habits of the individual patient, as well as morphologic characteristics of the nodule. Because pretest probability plays an important role in determining the next step in the evaluation, we describe various methods the physician may use to make this determination. Subsequently, we outline a simple yet comprehensive algorithm for diagnosing a SPN, with distinct pathways for the solid and subsolid SPN.

Author List

Patel VK, Naik SK, Naidich DP, Travis WD, Weingarten JA, Lazzaro R, Gutterman DD, Wentowski C, Grosu HB, Raoof S

Author

David Gutterman MD Emeritus Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Algorithms
Bayes Theorem
Humans
Lung Neoplasms
Positron-Emission Tomography
Radiography
Risk Assessment
Solitary Pulmonary Nodule