Roughly 14% of asbestos-exposed workers developed lung spots, according to a study
A lung spot or shadow refers to a small round or oval growth that develops in the lung and is also called ‘coin lesion’ because of its appearance on a chest X-ray. Lung spots are nothing but lung nodules that form as a result of scar tissue that develops after prolonged exposure to airborne irritants such as asbestos. It can be about 3 cm in diameter or less. Lung spots are quite common and may show up at the rate of at least 1 in 500 X-rays and 1 in 100 CT scans.
Typically, these lung spots are accidentally detected on an X-ray or a CT scan performed for a different reason. On a CT scan, it shows up as a white spot. The round-shaped lung spots are more solid than normal tissues of the lung and can be a sign of early lung cancer. Therefore, a chest X-ray that shows lung spots should raise considerable concern, especially in asbestos-exposed workers. A study revealed that out of the 633 asbestos-exposed workers included, 86 people had lung nodules, which amounts to around 14%.
Lung scarring due to inhalation of a highly irritating and carcinogenic substance such as asbestos can cause lung spots, which are revealed on an X-ray or CT scan. A lung spot or a nodule can be either a benign or malignant lesion. Usually, a nodule that becomes larger over time can be a sign of malignancy.
Not all lung spots will be malignant. More than 60% of the solitary lung spots detected in X-rays and CT scans turn out to be benign and conversely, a fairly large number of nodules are malignant. However, a lung nodule is more likely to indicate cancer if you have had a history of occupational asbestos exposure.