Barbosa, Eduardo Mortani

Background/Objectives: Juxtapleural and perifissural nodules are commonly encountered on thoracic imaging, are typically presumed benign, and are often considered to represent intrapulmonary lymph nodes. We evaluated the prevalence, clinical context, and management of juxtapleural nodules over a 10-year period and to assess factors associated with concern for malignancy. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, radiology reports from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2024, were queried using natural language processing to identify examinations containing terminology consistent with juxtapleural nodules. After exclusion of duplicate encounters, 85,435 unique patient encounters were analyzed. Reports were further filtered to identify cases with imaging concern for malignancy and recommendations for follow-up or intervention (N = 659). Clinical characteristics, imaging modality, and prior malignancy history were compared using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Among 85,435 unique encounters, 659 patients (<1%) had juxtapleural nodules considered concerning for malignancy. These patients were older (68 vs. 64 years, p < 0.001), more frequently imaged with PET/CT (8% vs. 5%, p < 0.001), and more likely to be evaluated in inpatient settings (16% vs. 12%, p < 0.001). Of the cohort with a juxtapleural nodule considered concerning for malignancy by imaging criteria, 360 patients (55%) had a prior history of malignancy. In these patients, nodules were more commonly identified in outpatient settings (70% vs. 43%, p < 0.001) and on routine imaging (94% vs. 86%, p < 0.001). Representative cases demonstrated that malignant nodules may mimic benign perifissural morphology on initial imaging. Conclusions: Although the vast majority of reported juxtapleural nodules did not prompt malignancy-directed evaluation, a small subset of cases (approximately 0.8%), particularly in patients with prior malignancy, were interpreted as sufficiently concerning to warrant follow-up imaging or intervention. Because pathologic confirmation and standardized long-term outcome adjudication were not available for all patients, these findings should be interpreted as reflecting real-world radiologist concern and management patterns rather than a definitive malignancy rate.