Follow-up to: Are any supplements known to shrink non-cancerous lung nodules?
Question explored with the scientific record
What are the most common causes of non-cancer lung nodules?
The evidence retrieved does not answer what causes non-cancerous lung nodules. It studies breast densities, rectal bleeding, bowel obstructions, liver cancer markers, epilepsy, vertebral fractures, and skin granulomas. None of these are lung nodules.
The one study that touches the lung directly is a CT imaging paper on solitary pulmonary nodules [8]. It reports 19 benign nodules out of 65 total, listing inflammatory infiltrations (9 cases), sarcoidosis (5), fibroma (2), hamartoma (1), hematoma (1), and tuberculoma (1). That is a small single-center sample, not a population survey. The review on granulomatous lung diseases [14] gives a broader picture from 500 biopsy cases: infection accounted for 25%, sarcoidosis for 27%, and 42% had no identified cause. The infectious causes are not broken down by organism in the extractable data.
My call: the evidence here does not contain a systematic study of the most common causes of non-cancerous lung nodules. The gap itself matters. Confidence: high that the retrieved evidence does not answer the question.
Sources examined 20
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Focal Asymmetric Densities Seen at Mammography: US and Pathologic Correlation
A radiology-focused review detailing focal asymmetric breast densities on mammography, their benign and malignant causes, imaging work-up (including ultrasound and various mammographic views), and pathologic correlations to guide biopsy decisions.
DOI: 10.1148/radiographics.22.1.g02ja2219 -
Rectal bleeding in general and hospital practice; ‘the tip of the iceberg’
This study investigates the incidence of rectal bleeding in the general population, its predictive value for colorectal cancer, and the rates of consultation and referral to hospital, revealing a low predictive value of 1:709 for cancer despite high prevalence rates of rectal bl…
DOI: 10.1046/j.1463-1318.2000.00141.x -
Small Bowel Obstruction in Patients with a Prior History of Cancer: Predictive Findings of Malignant Origins
This study investigates the causes of acute small bowel obstruction (SBO) in patients with a prior history of cancer, identifying significant predictors for malignant versus benign origins and highlighting the necessity for timely surgical intervention.
DOI: 10.1007/s00268-013-2303-3 -
α-fetoprotein monitoring in chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection: Role in the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma
This study investigates the role of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) monitoring in the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, revealing that while AFP elevation is common, it is not a reliable tool for early diagnos…
DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840090119 -
Benign Idiopathic Partial Epilepsy and Brain Lesion
This study presents a case of a 14-year-old girl with severe brain damage and epilepsy following a dog bite, highlighting the genetic factors involved in benign partial epilepsy and the importance of EEG studies in siblings to differentiate between genetic and symptomatic causes.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1999.tb00721.x -
Vertebral compression fractures: distinction between benign and malignant causes with MR imaging.
This study retrospectively evaluates the differentiation between benign and malignant causes of vertebral compression fractures using MRI imaging techniques.
DOI: 10.1148/radiology.172.1.2740506 -
Human pulmonary dirofilariasis: uncommon cause of pulmonary coin-lesion
This study reports two new cases of human pulmonary dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens, highlighting its presentation as solitary pulmonary nodules and the importance of awareness in differential diagnosis.
DOI: 10.1016/s1010-7940(02)00221-x -
Assessment of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules Based on Virtual Monochrome Images and Iodine-Dependent Images Using a Single-Source Dual-Energy CT with Fast kVp Switching
This study evaluates the clinical usefulness of single-source dual-energy CT with fast kVp switching to differentiate benign versus malignant solitary pulmonary nodules ≤30 mm using virtual monochromatic images and iodine concentration maps, finding that 65 keV virtual monochrom…
DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082514 -
Granulomatous & histiocytic dermatitides
A comprehensive narrative review that classifies and describes granulomatous and histiocytic dermatitides of the skin, detailing infectious and non-infectious etiologies, characteristic histopathology, clinical correlations, diagnostic approaches (including stains and immunostai…
DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2016.12.003 -
Congenital tuberculosis after in vitro fertilization presenting with endobronchial granuloma
This case report describes a rare instance of congenital tuberculosis in a twin female infant born via in vitro fertilization, highlighting the challenges in diagnosis and the successful treatment of endobronchial granuloma through therapeutic bronchoscopy.
DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2018.02.001 -
Spectroscopic increase in choline signal is a nonspecific marker for differentiation of infective/inflammatory from neoplastic lesions of the brain
Three case reports showing that elevated choline on in vivo MR spectroscopy can occur in benign infectious/inflammatory brain lesions (tuberculoma, fungal granuloma, and xanthogranuloma), indicating that high choline is not a specific marker for neoplasia and may reflect cellula…
DOI: 10.1002/jmri.1144 -
Immunohistochemical features of cutaneous granulomas in primary immunodeficiency disorders: a comparison with cutaneous sarcoidosis
In pediatric cutaneous granulomas, cytotoxic CD8+ T cells predominate over helper CD4+ T cells in immunodeficiency disorders, contrasting with sarcoidosis where CD4+ T cells predominate, suggesting different immunopathogenesis and possible infectious involvement.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00854.x -
PCR detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in Crohn's disease granulomas isolated by laser capture microdissection
This study utilized laser capture microdissection and polymerase chain reaction to detect Mycobacterium paratuberculosis DNA in granulomas from Crohn's disease patients, finding it present in 6 out of 15 cases, suggesting a potential infectious role in a subset of Crohn's diseas…
DOI: 10.1136/gut.51.5.665 -
Granulomatous lung diseases
A comprehensive review of granulomatous lung diseases, detailing histopathology, infectious and non-infectious etiologies, regional prevalence differences, and a multidisciplinary diagnostic algorithm to differentiate sarcoidosis from infections, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, gr…
DOI: 10.18093/0869-0189-2017-27-2-250-261 -
Bone marrow granulomas in a high tuberculosis prevalence setting
A retrospective clinicopathological study of 110 bone marrow granuloma cases from a TB‑high prevalence region (West China Hospital, Sichuan University) showing TB as the leading etiology, with recommendations for routine acid-fast staining and TB DNA PCR on bone marrow biopsies.
DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000009726 -
Trematode Fluke Procerovum varium as Cause of Ocular Inflammation in Children, South India
This study identifies the trematode Procerovum varium as a causative agent of ocular granulomas in children from South India, linking the infection to exposure to snail-infested water.
DOI: 10.3201/eid2202.150051 -
Cutaneous sterile granulomas/pyogranulomas, leishmaniasis and mycobacterial infections
A veterinary literature review describing cutaneous sterile granulomas/pyogranulomas in dogs and cats, differentiating sterile SGPS from infectious mimics (Leishmania, mycobacteria) and advocating a multidisciplinary diagnostic approach (cytology, histopathology, IHC, PCR, cultu…
DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2008.00638.x -
Tumor-like pulmonary sarcoidosis diagnosed by CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy
CT-guided transthoracic core needle biopsy safely confirmed tumor-like pulmonary sarcoidosis in a young man with bilateral pulmonary masses, illustrating CNB's diagnostic value for distinguishing benign from malignant thoracic lesions.
DOI: 10.1186/1757-1626-2-6607 -
Unilateral nasal hemianopsia secondary to posterior subcapsular cataract
A BMJ British Journal of Ophthalmology PostScript issue comprising multiple brief clinical studies and case reports across retinal, conjunctival, and corneal diseases, including laser-induced chorioretinal venous anastomosis in ischaemic CRVO, actinic granuloma of the conjunctiv…
DOI: 10.1136/bjo.87.8.1045 -
MTB driven B cells producing IL-35 and secreting high level of IL-10 in the patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis
The study identifies a subset of regulatory B cells in active pulmonary tuberculosis that produce IL-35 and, notably, IL-10, demonstrates their presence in tuberculous granulomas, and shows MTB lysate–driven induction of IL-35 in B cells, suggesting an IL-35/IL-10–driven regulat…
DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2019.05.004