Ground-glass Nodules of Lung
A lung ground-glass node was a type of lung node that appeared to have the texture of matte glass on CT images. The ground-glass nodes of the lung could be benign, such as lung inflammation, fungus infection, charcoal deposit, etc., or they could be malignant, such as lung cancer. Generally speaking, when the diameter of the ground-glass node was less than 8 mm, the probability of malignant was low. Surgery was not needed, but regular follow-up was needed. If the diameter of the ground-glass node was more than 6 mm, there was an indication for surgical removal. Pathological examination was needed to confirm the diagnosis. When dealing with the ground-glass nodes of the lung, pneumonectomy under thoracoscopy could be performed as soon as possible, and pathological examination could be performed to avoid missed diagnosis or delayed diagnosis. However, the specific treatment method should be determined according to the doctor's suggestion and the patient's specific condition. In short, the severity of the lung ground-glass node depended on its size, growth trend, and other characteristics, so further examination and evaluation were needed to determine the best treatment plan.
Three Changes in Lung Nodules
The changes in the lung nodes within three months of reexamination usually required close attention. If there was no obvious change in the lung node during this period, that is, the diameter did not increase or decrease by more than 2mm, it was generally considered stable. In this case, it could be considered to extend the interval between reexaminations to 6 or 12 months. However, if the lung node had a significant increase or decrease of more than 2mm within three months, especially if it increased by more than 8mm, it would require a high degree of vigilance and there might be a risk of malignant tumors. In this case, it is recommended to consult a surgeon to determine if surgery is needed. In general, during the reexamination of lung nodes, the diameter change of less than 2mm was usually caused by measurement error, not because the size of the node had really changed. If the follow-up showed that the tumor had shrunk, it was usually good news. However, if the tumor grows significantly in a short period of time, it may be inflammation or a highly malignant tumor in a few cases. However, if the tumor enlarged significantly over a long period of time, it was necessary to be on high alert for the possibility of malignant tumor.
What does a ground-glass lung signify?
A ground-glass lung tumor was an imaging finding. It referred to the appearance of a high-density shadow with a clear or unclear boundary in the lungs. There were three possible reasons for the ground-glass nodes in the lungs: inflammation, benign tumors, and malignant tumors. Whether it was serious or not needed to be judged based on the results of the examination. Ground-glass nodes could be inflammation, such as bacteria infection, fungus infection, allergy, vasculitides, etc. If treated in time, it would not be serious. Benign tumors usually had clear borders and were less than 5mm in size, but sometimes the borders were blurry. In a few cases, ground-glass nodes may be malignant tumors, especially in patients over the age of 40 who smoked for a long time, were exposed to secondhand smoke, or had a family history of malignant tumors. If the density of the ground-glass nodes becomes uneven, the nodes become larger, or there are signs of malignant transformation, such as blood vessel signs, void signs, and pleura depression signs, further examination and early treatment may be needed. In short, the specific significance of the lung ground-glass nodes needed to be analyzed according to the medical history, the characteristics of the nodes, and the results of the follow-up examination.
Can Isoniazid Treat Lung Nodules?
Isoniazid could treat lung nodes. Isoniazid was the first choice for the treatment of lung cancer, and it had a strong suppressive and killing effect on MTB. Commonly used drugs for treating lung cancer include isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamid, and ethambutal. Most of them would shrink or even disappear after receiving the appropriate medication. Therefore, there was no need to worry too much about small lung nodes caused by infection.
Three Traditional Chinese Medicines for Eradication of Lung Nodules
Sanwei Traditional Chinese Medicine Powder generally could not eradicate lung nodes, but it could play an auxiliary role in treatment. The three commonly used Chinese medicines were Huangqi, Baishu, and Fuling. Huangqi has the effect of replenishing qi and elevating yang, consolidating the surface and stopping sweating. It can be used to improve the symptoms of fatigue and night sweats in patients with lung nodes. Bai Zhu had the effect of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, drying the dampness and promoting water. It was often used for weak spleen and stomach. The poria cocos had the effect of reducing swelling, strengthening the spleen, and replenishing qi. It could help improve lung nodes. However, the specific treatment effect varied from person to person. Lung nodes were usually divided into benign and malignant nodes. Benign nodes were usually stimulated by inflammation for a long time, while malignant nodes were usually lung tumors. After treatment with Chinese medicine, the absorption of inflammation could play a role in promoting the symptoms of the tumor, but the tumor may not completely disappear. If it was a malignant tumor, Chinese medicine could not achieve a complete treatment effect, so the tumor could not be eradicated. If the diameter of the tumor was relatively large, the patient could cooperate with the doctor to perform surgical removal to reduce the impact.
pulmonary nodules
A lung nodulus was a circular shadow less than 3 centimeters in diameter found on lung imaging. The formation of lung nodes may be related to many factors such as infection and tumors. The types of lung nodes included solid nodes, partially solid nodes, and ground-glass nodes. The causes of lung lumps may include smoking, working in dusty jobs, lung infection, and air pollution. Lung nodes could be signs of inflammation, chemotherapy, or tumors. Most lung nodes were benign, and only a few were malignant. Generally speaking, most of the tumors below 6 mm were benign, but it needed to be judged based on the size, shape, location, density, and other characteristics of the tumor. The treatment of lung nodes needed to be evaluated and decided according to the specific situation.
Distinguish between Lung Phthisis and Lung Flaccidity
Lung consumption and lung flaccidity were two different diseases. Although they both occurred in the lungs, there were some differences that could be used to differentiate them. Lung flaccidity was a disease caused by many chronic diseases in the lung. It was mainly manifested as coughing, spitting, and saliva. On the other hand, the symptoms of phthisis were cough, hemoptysis, hot flashes, night sweats, and so on. It was contagious. Lung flaccidity could be the later transformation of lung consumption, but lung consumption was not equal to lung flaccidity. The two had different degrees of cause and effect. Therefore, by observing the symptoms and understanding the medical history, it was possible to differentiate between consumption and lung flaccidity.
Lung Atrophy
The symptoms of lung atrophy included chest tightness, short breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, cough, and expectoration. Atrophy of the lungs could also lead to organ failure throughout the body. The severity of the symptoms depended on the degree and cause of the lung contraction. Lung contraction could be caused by bronchi obstruction, pneumothorax, chest effusions, lung cancer, lung trauma, congenital maldevelopment, etc. Patients with mild lung atrophy may not have obvious symptoms, while patients with severe lung disease may experience severe decline in lung function, resulting in chest tightness, short of breath, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms. The treatment methods for lung atrophy included medication and surgery, and the specifics needed to be determined according to the patient's condition. The patient should seek medical examination in time and follow the doctor's advice for treatment. In addition, patients should pay more attention to rest in their daily lives, avoid strenuous exercise, improve their immunity, and prevent respiratory tract infection.
The Cause of Lung Consumption
There were two main reasons for the onset of consumption. One was the infection of the worm, and the other was the weakening of one's vital qi. The infection of the worms was an indispensable external cause of the disease, while the deficiency of vital energy was the basis of the disease and the main internal cause of the invasion of the worms. Infected with the worm had been recognized as early as the Jin Dynasty. The worm was infectious and could cause lung infection. Weakness of vital qi was caused by congenital deficiency, acquired excessive desire, serious illness, and long-term illness. Deficiency of vital qi was one of the important factors of illness. In addition, Yin deficiency was also one of the reasons for the onset of consumption. Phthisis was a chronic infectious disease. Its cause was complicated and required comprehensive treatment and preventive measures.
Treatment of Lung Cancer
The main treatment method for lung cancer was a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs. Commonly used anti-tb drugs include isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamid, and ethambutal. The treatment time was usually six months or longer, depending on the patient's condition and the doctor's recommendation. The treatment principles were early, regular, full, moderate, and combined. The treatment plan was divided into two stages: the strengthening stage and the consolidation stage. For drug-resistant lung cancer, the medication plan needed to be adjusted according to the results of the smear test and the sensitivity of the cultured strains. During the treatment process, the patient needed to take the medicine regularly to avoid missing the medicine, and follow the doctor's advice to take the medicine and stop the medicine. During the treatment, the patient should pay attention to nutritional support and active rehabilitation exercises. For some patients with serious conditions or complications, the treatment time may be extended appropriately. Surgery could also be considered in some special cases, such as limited multi-drug-resistant chemotherapy. In general, the treatment of lung cancer needed to be tailored according to the patient's specific condition and the doctor's recommendations.
Treatment of Lung Phthisis
There were two ways to treat phthisis: Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine used the method of diagnosis and treatment to treat phthisis. Different types of symptoms were treated with different drugs. The common Chinese medicines were Yuehua Pills, Baihe Gujin Soup, Shenling Baizhu Powder, etc. These medicines had the effects of nourishing yin and nourishing the lung, clearing heat, killing insects, nourishing yin and reducing fire. Western medicine mainly used a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of consumption. Commonly used drugs were isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamid, and ethambutal. The treatment time was usually six months or longer, depending on the patient's condition and the doctor's recommendation. In short, both traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine could be used for the treatment of consumption. The specific method to choose should be decided according to the patient's condition and the doctor's suggestion.