LUNG DISEASE
Cigarette smoke is a common cause of benign lung lesions and lung cancer. The longer a person smokes and the more packs per day smoked, the greater the risk of developing some form of lung disease.1 It addition, exposure to secondhand smoke, asbestos, radon and other industrial carcinogens may also increase your probability of developing lung disease.1 However, it is important to note that risk factors do not cause lung cancer nor do they predict whether you will get lung disease. What is important is to understand your risks, monitor your health and talk to your doctor about changes in your health status.
About Lung Disease
Lesions deep in the lungs are a common medical problem but not all lung lesions are cancerous. There are many forms of lung diseases today that are non-cancerous yet they may affect your ability to breathe, cause scarring of your lung tissue or trigger other problems throughout your body if not treated.
Many smokers and non-smokers are at risk for developing benign lesions deep in the lungs as well as cancerous lesions.2
Described below are some of the more common forms of lung disease that potentially can cause lesions deep in the lungs as well as inflamed mediastinal lymph nodes. Also included are descriptions of procedures typically used to make a definitive diagnosis of lung lesions.
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is a lung disease that is transmitted through airborne spores breathed into the lungs, especially if individuals work around certain damp soils that are rich in organic materials. It is commonly found in caves, river valleys in mild-climate regions, as well as pigeon and chicken coops. The spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, are the cause of histoplasmosis. The spores float into the air when the soil is disturbed and easily enter the lungs. They are then carried to the lymph nodes in the chest by macrophages or blood cells that attack foreign organisms. This may lead to inflammation of the lymph nodes and scarring, which can appear as a lesion on a CT scan.
Some of the signs and symptoms of histoplasmosis range from no symptoms to fever, headache, weight loss, cough, chest pain and fatigue. This condition can be challenging to diagnose since its symptoms often resemble those of other lung diseases.
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that starts in the lungs, but can affect any organ in the body. The exact cause of sarcoidosis is unknown but medical experts believe it may be caused when the immune system overreacts to an unknown toxin, drug or pathogen that enters the body.
Some of the signs and symptoms of sarcoidosis include shortness of breath; a cough that will not disappear; fever; weight loss; small red bumps on the face, arms or buttocks; red, watery eyes; and fatigue. In addition, sarcoidosis can cause a lung lesion that is detected on a CT scan.
Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment
Lung lesions are detected from a chest x-ray, CT scan or PET-CT and often your doctor may determine that a tissue sample or biopsy is needed to make a definitive diagnosis.
Chest X-Ray
The chest x-ray is a radiology test where the chest is briefly exposed to radiation to take an image of the chest and its internal organs. A chest x-ray is used to define abnormalities of the lungs, including lesions, pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis and cancer.
Lung CT Scan
A CT scan or computed tomography scan produces multiple images or pictures of the lungs that offer cross-sectional views of the area being studied. These images are far more detailed than a conventional chest x-ray and offer multiple uses. These include the ability to further examine abnormalities found on an x-ray, detect and evaluate the extent of a lung tumor, assess whether tumors are responding to treatment and help plan radiation therapy.
Lung PET-CT:
A lung PET–CT is a diagnostic tool that provides functional diagnostic information that other imaging tests cannot provide. The PET system works in conjunction with the CT system to provide exquisite anatomic detail. This combination of anatomic and functional information allows doctors to accurately pinpoint lesions and may allow them to distinguish between benign and malignant tissue at an early stage.
