[Contribution to retrospective roentgenographic follow-up of solitary pulmonary nodules (author's transl)].

The diagnostic problems of malignant solitary pulmonary nodules are demonstrated in 5 cases with a roentgenographic history of many years. The slow growth rate of adenocarcinoma and alveolar cell carcinoma--mainly in woman--and the possibility of a scar tissue carcinoma has to be considered. Peripheral pulmonary nodules in adult persons suspicious of carcinoma must be verified histologically, even if their growth rate is very slow and their roentgenographic history lasts many years. If this is not possible a thoracotomy should be performed.