Indeterminate Pulmonary Lesions

Abstract

Indeterminate pulmonary lesions may include those caused by (1) tumors, (2) inflammatory conditions which are either tuberculous or nontuberculous and (3) congenital abnormalities. These lesions are defined as indeterminate when all methods of diagnosis short of exploration fail to identify them. Since 20 to 40 per cent of all patients with primary carcinoma of the lung are in this group, it is very important to make an exploration and biopsy in order to institute adequate surgical therapy.