Figure 2. Suggested algorithm for clinical management of patients with solitary pulmonary nodules who are at average risk for surgical complications. The algorithm pertains to patients with low (10% to 50%), intermediate (51% to 76%), and high (77% to 90%) pretest probability of malignancy. Note that in patients with very low pretest probability (<10%), biopsy is preferred when computed tomography (CT) results are possibly malignant and watchful waiting is preferred when CT results suggest a benign diagnosis. In patients with very high pretest probability (>90%), surgery without diagnostic testing is the preferred strategy. FDG-PET = positron emission tomography with 18-fluorodeoxyglucose.

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