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Nodule (medicine)
Solid, non-blisterform elevated areas in or under the skin

In medicine, nodules are firm lumps usually larger than 1 cm, while smaller bumps under 0.5 cm may be called papules. Fluid-filled nodules are known as cysts. Skin nodules such as dermatofibroma and pyogenic granuloma vary in appearance and location. They can also develop on tendons, muscles, or vocal cords. Nodules may be present in organs like the lung and thyroid, or associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Their evaluation involves assessing appearance, location, texture, and related symptoms to identify underlying causes.

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Characteristics

Nodules are small firm lumps usually greater than 1 cm in diameter, found in skin and other organs.1314 If filled with fluid they are usually softer and referred to as cysts.15 Smaller (less than 0.5 cm) raised soft tissue bumps may be termed papules.16

Evaluation

The evaluation of a skin nodule includes a description of its appearance, its location, how it feels to touch and any associated symptoms which may give clues to an underlying medical condition.17

Often discovered unintentionally on a chest x-ray, a single nodule in the lung requires assessment to exclude cancer.18

Conditions

Nodules may form on tendons and muscles in response to injury,19 and are frequently found on vocal cords,20 They occur in conditions including endometriosis,21 neurofibromatosis,22 and in rheumatoid arthritis.23 They may also feature in Kaposi's sarcoma24 and gonorrhea.25

Other examples

References

  1. Mosby (2013). Mosby's Medical Dictionary - E-Book. Elsevier. pp. 1235–1236. ISBN 978-0-323-11258-1. 978-0-323-11258-1 ↩

  2. Oakley, Amanda. "Terminology in dermatology | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/terminology/ ↩

  3. Oakley, Amanda. "Terminology in dermatology | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/terminology/ ↩

  4. Potter, Patricia A.; Perry, Anne Griffin; Stockert, Patricia; Hall, Amy (2014-03-25). Essentials for Nursing Practice - E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN 978-0-323-18881-4. 978-0-323-18881-4 ↩

  5. Evangelisto, Amy; Werth, Victoria; Schumacher, H. Ralph (October 2006). "What is that nodule? A diagnostic approach to evaluating subcutaneous and cutaneous nodules". Journal of Clinical Rheumatology: Practical Reports on Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases. 12 (5): 230–240. doi:10.1097/01.rhu.0000240034.72958.2f. ISSN 1076-1608. PMID 17023809. Retrieved 14 January 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17023809/ ↩

  6. Linton, Christina P. (March 2011). "Essential Morphologic Terms and Definitions". Journal of the Dermatology Nurses' Association. 3 (2): 102–103. doi:10.1097/JDN.0b013e318211c6f0. ISSN 1945-760X. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2FJDN.0b013e318211c6f0 ↩

  7. "Dermal and subcutaneous lesions | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dermnetnz.org/cme/lesions/dermal-and-subcutaneous-lesions/ ↩

  8. Ashton-Miller, James A. (11 April 1999). "III: Workshop Papers". Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Report, Workshop Summary, and Workshop Papers. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Response of Muscle and Tendon to Injury and Overuse. ISBN 0-309-06397-3. Retrieved 13 January 2021. 0-309-06397-3 ↩

  9. "BRITISH VOICE ASSOCIATION : Vocal nodules". www.britishvoiceassociation.org.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://www.britishvoiceassociation.org.uk/voicecare_vocal-nodules.htm ↩

  10. Kikano, George E.; Fabien, Andre; Schilz, Robert (15 December 2015). "Evaluation of the Solitary Pulmonary Nodule". American Family Physician. 92 (12): 1084–1091. ISSN 0002-838X. PMID 26760594. Retrieved 14 January 2021. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/1215/p1084.html ↩

  11. Britton, K. E.; Gilday, David L.; Maisey, Michael (2013-12-11). Clinical Nuclear Medicine. Springer. ISBN 978-1-4899-3358-4. 978-1-4899-3358-4 ↩

  12. "Rheumatoid nodules in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)". NRAS. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://nras.org.uk/resource/rheumatoid-nodules/ ↩

  13. Mosby (2013). Mosby's Medical Dictionary - E-Book. Elsevier. pp. 1235–1236. ISBN 978-0-323-11258-1. 978-0-323-11258-1 ↩

  14. Oakley, Amanda. "Terminology in dermatology | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/terminology/ ↩

  15. Oakley, Amanda. "Terminology in dermatology | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/terminology/ ↩

  16. Potter, Patricia A.; Perry, Anne Griffin; Stockert, Patricia; Hall, Amy (2014-03-25). Essentials for Nursing Practice - E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN 978-0-323-18881-4. 978-0-323-18881-4 ↩

  17. Evangelisto, Amy; Werth, Victoria; Schumacher, H. Ralph (October 2006). "What is that nodule? A diagnostic approach to evaluating subcutaneous and cutaneous nodules". Journal of Clinical Rheumatology: Practical Reports on Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases. 12 (5): 230–240. doi:10.1097/01.rhu.0000240034.72958.2f. ISSN 1076-1608. PMID 17023809. Retrieved 14 January 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17023809/ ↩

  18. Kikano, George E.; Fabien, Andre; Schilz, Robert (15 December 2015). "Evaluation of the Solitary Pulmonary Nodule". American Family Physician. 92 (12): 1084–1091. ISSN 0002-838X. PMID 26760594. Retrieved 14 January 2021. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/1215/p1084.html ↩

  19. Ashton-Miller, James A. (11 April 1999). "III: Workshop Papers". Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Report, Workshop Summary, and Workshop Papers. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Response of Muscle and Tendon to Injury and Overuse. ISBN 0-309-06397-3. Retrieved 13 January 2021. 0-309-06397-3 ↩

  20. "BRITISH VOICE ASSOCIATION : Vocal nodules". www.britishvoiceassociation.org.uk. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://www.britishvoiceassociation.org.uk/voicecare_vocal-nodules.htm ↩

  21. Nisenblat V, Bossuyt PM, Farquhar C, Johnson N, Hull ML (February 2016). "Imaging modalities for the non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016 (2): CD009591. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd009591.pub2. PMC 7100540. PMID 26919512. painful palpable nodules https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7100540 ↩

  22. "Dermal and subcutaneous lesions | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://dermnetnz.org/cme/lesions/dermal-and-subcutaneous-lesions/ ↩

  23. "Rheumatoid nodules in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)". NRAS. Retrieved 13 January 2021. https://nras.org.uk/resource/rheumatoid-nodules/ ↩

  24. Massi, Daniela; Luzar, Boštjan; Alos, Llucia (2016). "15. Common skin tumours of the head and neck". In Cardesa, Antonio; Slootweg, Pieter J.; Gale, Nina; Franchi, Alessandro (eds.). Pathology of the Head and Neck. Springer. p. 737. ISBN 978-3-662-49670-1. 978-3-662-49670-1 ↩

  25. Berg, Dale; Worzala, Katherine (2006). "3. Female genitourinary examination". Atlas of Adult Physical Diagnosis. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7817-4190-3. 978-0-7817-4190-3 ↩