[The solitary pulmonary nodule. A radiologic and clinical approach (author's transl)]

The cases of pulmonary coin lesions operated at the National Cancer Institute of Milan during the last ten years are presented. Both the disadvantages of early thoracotomy as well as watchful waiting are discussed. Therefore different parameters with the aim to select the patients with the highest probability of cancer are analysed. Finally we tried to identify a diagnostic-therapeutic approach to reduce the complications and risks of thoracotomy in non-oncologic patients.