Ok my dad has severe COPD but has not had to have oxygen or anything. His shortness of breath has become more frequent in the past few months so he seen a lung specialist. The Dr. ordered a CT scan of the lungs. We call about the results today and the DR told us he had 2 nodules about the size of a pea that he was 95% sure were infected nodules and should go away on their own. He did schedule a followup scan in 3 months to make sure they do go away. I guess my questions is do they look different than cancerous nodules? How is he so sure? My Dad is 65 years old and smoked for 30 years- he quit 6 years ago. His family has a long history of cancer. Is three months ok to wait?
Hi, Not all the time it is possible to differentiate a cancerous nodule from an infective nodule. As he has strong history of smoking any lung nodule should not be underestimated. PET scan may be helpful in this case, but that will depend on your doctors decisions.  You may also consult your radiologist regarding the nature of the lump. Take care.