Chapter 61 Solitary Pulmonary Nodule in a 58-Year-Old Male (Case 42)
Differential Diagnosis
When I’m asked to see a 58-year-old male who presents with a solitary pulmonary nodule, my careful history will usually help me know how to proceed with the workup. I ask if the abnormality was found during a routine screening chest x-ray or if the patient has symptoms of cough, hemoptysis, or recent pneumonia. I determine if the patient is a smoker or previous smoker and if he has had any occupational exposures, has traveled recently, has had exposure to tuberculosis, or carries a diagnosis of previous malignancy. Lastly, I ask if he has ever been told that he has a nodule in his lung or if he has had previous chest x-rays or CT scans of his chest that could help establish the duration of his nodule’s existence.