Solid Lung Nodules Found in Northern European Nonsmoking Cohort: Much to Be Learned

By: Amy MacDonald, MS
Posted: Friday, October 25, 2024

Rozemarijn Vliegenthart, MD, PhD, of the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, and colleagues examined the prevalence of lung nodules in 10,431 Dutch nonsmokers and former smokers. They found lung nodules were present in a substantial portion of the assessed population, and their prevalence increased with age. Their findings were published in the journal Radiology.

“This study is groundbreaking, as it provides the first comprehensive analysis of the prevalence and size distribution of solid lung nodules in a population-based Northern European nonsmoking cohort,” Dr. Vliegenthart stated in a Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) press release. “Unlike prior studies that predominantly targeted high-risk lung cancer screening cohorts or Asian cohorts, this research yields fundamental data for the general nonsmoking population in northern Europe.”

The researchers analyzed data taken from the Imaging in Lifelines Northern Netherlands study. This study used quantitative low-dose CT to gather information about lung density, bronchial wall thickness, vascular calcification, and lung nodules in a large, healthy population of adults older than age 45. The prevalence and size of lung nodules (≥ 30 mm³), clinically relevant lung nodules (≥ 100 mm³), and actionable nodules (≥ 300 mm³) were measured, and the results were stratified by age and sex.

The median age of the assessed population was 60.4 years, with 56.6% being female and 43.4% male participants. The researchers found the presence of lung nodules seemed to increase with age in both males and females, and clinically relevant lung nodules were detected in 11.1% (1,155 of 1,0431) of participants overall.

From the RSNA press release: “Because most previous research on the prevalence and size of lung nodules has typically been derived from lung cancer screening studies in heavy smokers, nodule management recommendations are mostly based on this patient population. Our current nodule follow-up guidelines, which are mostly based on high-risk patient populations, may lead to many unnecessary follow-up examinations in low-risk individuals with incidental pulmonary nodules.”

Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit pubs.rsna.org.

Radiology

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