Nodules, hyperplasia, cysts... What do the high-frequency words in physical examination reports mean? Learn more in one article!

In the physical examination report, many people will see words such as "nodules", "hyperplasia" and "cysts". What do they mean? What should be done? Today, we will help you understand those "high-frequency words" in the physical examination report.

01

Pulmonary nodules

If lung nodules appear in the physical examination report, the following points need to be paid attention to:

Size: Nodules with a diameter less than 5 mm are considered micropulmonary nodules, and nodules with a diameter of 5 to 10 mm are considered small nodules.

Density: Depending on whether blood vessels and bronchial shadows can be observed, they can be divided into solid pulmonary nodules and subsolid pulmonary nodules. The latter include pure ground glass nodules and partially solid nodules.

Other descriptions: If the border morphology of the nodule shows lobulation, spiculation, pleural indentation, vascular clustering signs, etc., further examination by a specialist such as respiratory medicine or thoracic surgery is required.

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In addition, whether the patient smokes, has a family history of lung cancer, and whether the working environment has adverse respiratory exposure can provide a basis for disease diagnosis. If the nodule grows rapidly or the solid component increases significantly during the observation process, you should be highly vigilant.

02

Thyroid nodules

Thyroid nodules are very common, and most of them are benign. According to the Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS), thyroid nodules of category 1 to 3 are considered benign and require regular physical examinations. The risk of malignancy of nodules of category 4 and above gradually increases.

If the thyroid ultrasound examination results show microcalcification, aspect ratio greater than 1, irregular borders, low echo, etc., you need to be vigilant. It is recommended to go to a breast or thyroid specialist for further evaluation. If necessary, a puncture biopsy can be considered for a definitive diagnosis of nodules larger than 1 cm.

03

Dyslipidemia

Controlling diet and changing lifestyle are the basis for treating dyslipidemia. Regardless of whether or not you choose drug treatment, you must adhere to a healthy lifestyle, improve your diet, reduce total energy intake (reduced by 300-500 kcal per day), limit cholesterol intake, supplement dietary fiber, quit smoking, limit salt intake, and limit alcohol consumption.

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It is recommended to do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every day, 5 to 7 days a week, and maintain a suitable body mass index (BMI 20.0 to 23.9). If necessary, take lipid-lowering drugs under the guidance of a doctor to lower blood lipids. The prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia is of great significance to reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease and improving the quality of life.

04

Hyperuricemia

If hyperuricemia is discovered, you should pay attention to the combination of work and rest, avoid inducing factors such as fatigue and joint injuries; exercise moderately and control your weight.

It is recommended to eat a low-purine diet, eat less animal offal and seafood, shrimp, crab, sausage, etc., and limit or quit drinking. Drink more water, more than 2000 ml of water per day to increase the excretion of uric acid. If necessary, take medication for uric acid-lowering treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

05

Fatty liver

After a physical examination reveals fatty liver, you should change your diet structure, eat less fatty meat, animal offal, fried foods, sweets and starchy foods. Eat more fish, vegetables and fruits. It is better to use vegetable oil for cooking.

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Control your food intake, eat until you are 80% full at each meal, and avoid being overweight or obese. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Strengthen your exercise, do aerobic exercise 3 times a week, and each time should be more than half an hour.

It is recommended to review liver ultrasound, liver function and blood lipids every 3 to 6 months.

06

Liver/kidney cysts

Generally speaking, simple cysts are benign lesions. They can be single or multiple, are mostly congenital, and generally do not become malignant. As the cyst grows, there is a small chance of rupture or secondary infection. Usually there are no symptoms and it does not affect liver and kidney function.

If the diameter of liver cyst or kidney cyst exceeds 5 cm, minimally invasive surgery may be considered. Cysts generally do not increase suddenly, so regular color Doppler ultrasound examinations of the liver and kidneys are recommended.

07

Breast hyperplasia

For some women with breast hyperplasia, the breast hyperplasia can be relieved after 1-2 years. Most of the symptoms are mild and do not require treatment. If the symptoms are obvious, you can go to a breast and thyroid specialist for treatment.

The occurrence of breast hyperplasia is also closely related to mental factors. It is recommended to maintain a happy mood, stable emotions, combine work and rest, and avoid tension and anxiety.

08

Prostatic hyperplasia

Prostatic hyperplasia is a common disease in middle-aged and elderly men, and is more common in those over 50 years old. The incidence rate gradually increases with age.

Frequent urination, urgent urination, and difficulty urinating are early symptoms. As prostate hyperplasia worsens, urine interruption, thinning, dripping, increased nocturia, and urine retention may occur.

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You can go to the urology clinic for treatment and take drugs such as Proscar and Harle to improve urination function. If the drug treatment is not effective, you can consider minimally invasive surgery.

09

ST-T changes

Some people often equate ST-T changes with "myocardial ischemia", which is an incorrect interpretation because other non-ischemic reasons may also cause ST-T changes in electrocardiogram examinations.

When you see this medical term on your medical report, it is recommended that you go to the cardiology clinic to seek guidance from a specialist. The doctor will conduct a comprehensive analysis based on the presence or absence of heart-related symptoms and cardiovascular disease risk factors, and will perform further coronary artery CT and coronary angiography to confirm the diagnosis if necessary.

10

Abnormal tumor markers

The sensitivity and specificity of tumor markers are not 100% and will be affected by many factors.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is generally associated with liver cancer, but the indicator can also be elevated when tested in pregnant women.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is associated with colon cancer and is also associated with abnormal proliferation of glandular epithelial cells in various tissues and organs, and can even be seen in non-neoplastic lesions.

The carbohydrate antigen CA125 is generally associated with ovarian cancer, but benign ovarian lesions, endometriosis, and even male chest and ascites can also cause the index to rise.

Similarly, normal tumor markers cannot completely rule out malignant tumors. However, if you highly suspect cancer or are a high-risk group for a certain tumor, you can choose to test the corresponding tumor markers as a reference. In addition, tumor patients can also be followed up and dynamically monitored through changes in tumor markers.

Source: Health Times

Review: Li Nannan Director of Hunan Science Writers Association Deputy Director of Research and Publicity Department of Hunan Science and Technology Association Second-level Researcher Chinese Science Writer (Medical)

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