🔍 Pulmonary Nodule Follow-up (Fleischner 2017)
Get CT follow-up advice for incidental pulmonary nodules per the Fleischner Society 2017 guideline, by type, number, size and risk. Instant, browser-side.
Pulmonary Nodule Follow-up (Fleischner 2017)
Nodule type
Number
Maximum nodule diameter (mm)
Risk (for solid nodules)
When to use
Decide the follow-up interval and modality for an incidental (non-screening) pulmonary nodule in patients ≥ 35.
How it works
Recommendations vary by solid/ground-glass/part-solid type, single vs multiple, size (< 6, 6–8, > 8 mm) and low vs high risk; measured as the average of long and short axes on thin sections.
Key points
- Not for known cancer/primary tumour, immunosuppression or lung-cancer screening (use Lung-RADS for screening).
- Solid nodules < 6 mm in low-risk patients need no routine follow-up.
- Persistent ground-glass nodules ≥ 6 mm are followed long-term (to 5 years).
- High-risk features include smoking, older age, emphysema/fibrosis, upper-lobe location and family history.
References
Decision support for licensed clinicians only; not a substitute for clinical judgement, diagnosis or local protocols.