Lung spots

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 which 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 spots misdiagnosis and asbestos exposure work history

Though a chest X-ray cannot detect the asbestos fibers, it can surely detect early signs of changes that occur in the lungs due to asbestos exposure. If your chest X-ray shows lung spots, then it likely to be asbestos-related particularly if you have sustained asbestos exposure at your workplace. Most of the time, these lung spots may be related to old scars, lung infections (tuberculosis) or other diseases and thus remain misdiagnosed.

Misdiagnosis is quite common among asbestos exposure victims and for this reason, we encourage asbestos-exposed workers to always seek a second opinion from a doctor trained in reading X-rays, who can differentiate whether the lung spot is asbestos-related or some other condition. Most asbestos-exposed workers who initially had lung spots on their X-rays eventually developed lung cancer or mesothelioma over a period of time. It is recommended to get more CT scans periodically in order to keep an eye on the spot and see if there are any changes. Additionally, establishing an accurate diagnosis as early as possible is essential to receive proper treatment and improve prognosis. This will also help you receive the right amount of your well-deserved financial compensation.