DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 76-year-old woman in what I thought was excellent health. On a recent coronary calcium CT scan that was ordered because of my age and slightly elevated cholesterol, an incidental finding was described in the report as “innumerable, tiny noncalcified pulmonary nodules bilaterally.” The largest of these is in the “left lower lobe with multiple additional 2- to 4-mm nodules,” and they recommended “clinical correlation and a consideration of a dedicated chest CT.”

I found the report quite scary, especially considering my mother and grandfather died of lung cancer (although they were smokers and I never smoked). My primary physician has ordered the chest CT but wants to wait four weeks. She says that the nodules could be caused by inflammation or infection and might resolve on their own.

My fear is that they’re actually lung cancer and waiting four weeks might be problematic, not to mention extremely anxiety-producing. I would appreciate your input.

• M.S.

ANSWER: I certainly understand why you are concerned about lung cancer given your family history, but primary lung cancer is very unlikely. Since there are so many of these tiny nodules, I agree with your doctor that these are highly unlikely to be lung cancer, which is generally only a single nodule.

Your doctor is correct that there are inflammatory and infectious conditions that can cause a similar appearance on a chest CT. Some of these infections are serious (including tuberculosis), but people generally have symptoms. So, I think this is unlikely. Exposure to lung toxins, especially silicosis and asbestosis, are generally occupational, but they are another potential cause.

Some cancers can spread to the lungs. While the appearance of nodules on a CT scan in a person with no known cancer would be unusual, if the CT scan in four weeks shows that the nodules are enlarging, then this would be concerning. Getting another scan in less than four weeks might not be enough time to see a change.

I am sorry about the unavoidable anxiety in waiting for the scan, but it’s likely that the scan won’t show a change and you will be able to stop worrying.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.