Fleischner criteria
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
The published guidance radiologists follow for how to handle a lung nodule found by accident: whether to ignore it, when to re-scan, and for how long. The recommendation depends on the nodule's size and type and on whether you smoke, which is why two people with similar nodules can get different advice.
Where you’ll see this
The impression of a chest CT that mentions a pulmonary nodule.
Your report may word it “Fleischner Society guidelines” or “Fleischner recommendations”. These mean the same thing.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- What category did I get, and what does that category normally lead to?
- What is the recommended next step for this category — waiting, another scan, or a biopsy?
- Who decides the timing, and what should I do if my symptoms change before then?
Standard scoring systems
Where this word comes up
See this word on your own scan
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.