New UHealth Clinic Helps Ensure Incidental Lung Nodules Receive Proper Follow-Up

By: Chad Hanson | October 12, 2026 | 9 min. read |

The Incidental Lung Nodule Clinic uses AI-assisted technology, nurse navigation and multidisciplinary expertise to identify unexpected lung findings and connect patients with appropriate follow-up care.

3D Illustration of Human Respiratory System Lungs Anatomy

Key Takeaways

The Incidental Lung Nodule Clinic reviews radiology reports to identify incidental lung nodules that may need follow-up.
A nurse navigator validates findings and helps coordinate appropriate next steps.
The technology supports case identification but does not diagnose patients or make treatment decisions.
The program complements, rather than replaces, lung cancer screening and works with patients to identify appropriate next steps.

A patient may come to the emergency department worried about chest pain, a blood clot or another acute medical concern. What they don’t expect is that the scan intended to investigate one problem could uncover a small spot on the lung.

Most of these incidental lung nodules are harmless. But some represent the earliest signs of lung cancer, long before symptoms appear.

The new Incidental Lung Nodule Clinic at UHealth—University of Miami Health System was created to make sure those findings receive the attention they deserve. The program uses AI-assisted technology, dedicated nurse navigation and a multidisciplinary team to identify patients who need follow-up and connect them to appropriate care.

Dr. Estelamari Rodriguez — Dr. Estelemari Rodriguez says early detection of lung cancer is essential.

“Finding it early can mean the difference between a cure and managing a chronic, life-limiting illness,” said Estelemari Rodriguez, M.D., a UHealth oncologist and expert in lung cancer.

The Challenge of Incidental Findings

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, largely because it is often diagnosed after it has spread. The National Cancer Institute estimates more than a quarter-million people will be diagnosed by the end of the year. More than half will die.

“In the United States, over 70% of lung cancers are diagnosed at stage 3 and stage 4, meaning when they have already metastasized outside the lung,” said Diego Avella-Patino, M.D., a UHealth thoracic surgeon and associate professor in the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery. “The goal is to identify these nodules or these cancers at a very early stage where you could potentially cure them with a high percentage of success.”

Dr. Diego Avella-Patino in a portrait photo, wearing his white UHealth medical coat — Dr. Diego Avella-Patino says the Incidental Lung Nodule Clinic is designed to find and analyze potentially problematic lung nodules.

The new clinic reviews radiology reports for references to incidental lung nodules. Cases are then routed to dedicated nurse navigator Valerie Rosa Acosta, who validates the findings and ensures patients move through the appropriate next steps, whether that means surveillance imaging, specialty consultation, biopsy or treatment.

The technology does not make diagnoses or treatment decisions. Instead, it serves as a safety net designed to prevent important findings from being overlooked.

Incidental Lung Nodule Clinic

Learn more about lung cancer screening

If you have questions about an incidental lung nodule, follow-up imaging or lung cancer screening, the Incidental Lung Nodule Clinic can help connect you with the appropriate next steps and resources.

📞 (305) 689-LUNG

Early Results

The program launched Sept. 14 and is currently focused on advanced chest imaging performed in the emergency department. Even at that limited scale, leaders expect the clinic to review approximately 7,000 chest imaging studies annually, with an estimated 15% to 20% containing an incidental lung nodule requiring follow-up. Once expanded across UHealth, the program is expected to monitor more than 20,000 chest imaging studies each year.

For Toni Pryor Leavitt, D.N.P., A.P.R.N., executive director for care coordination at University of Miami Hospital and Clinics, those numbers represent opportunities to intervene earlier.

“Incidental nodules may not be the purpose of the scan, but they can be actioned,” Leavitt said. “You can enroll patients in surveillance, coordinate consults and biopsies, if warranted, and potentially detect a cancer sooner.”

The clinic’s impact became apparent almost immediately. Within its first two weeks, the team identified a patient through the system, expedited specialty evaluation and completed its first bronchoscopy after a biopsy was recommended. Pathology results were still pending at the time of the interview.

Guiding Patients Through Uncertainty

For many patients, hearing the words “lung nodule” can be frightening.

“Most incidental nodules are not cancer,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “They’re often scars from old infections or other harmless findings, and we tell patients that from the first conversation.”

A dedicated nurse navigator works with the clinic’s multidisciplinary team to guide patients through the process, explain findings, coordinate appointments and answer questions.

“Much of the worry comes from not knowing what happens next,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “Our nurse navigator gives every patient a clear plan and organizes the next steps.”

On a weekly basis, the multidisciplinary team, including interventional pulmonology, thoracic surgery, radiology, oncology and navigation, meets and collaborates to determine the best plan of care for the patient.

The clinic follows established national guidelines that consider nodule size, appearance and individual risk factors. While many patients simply require another scan months later, those with suspicious findings can be rapidly connected to experts across the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are most incidental lung nodules cancer?

No. Most incidental lung nodules are not cancer. Some are scars from prior infections or other harmless findings, while others need follow-up.

Does the technology diagnose lung cancer?

No. It helps identify reports that may require attention. Clinical teams make diagnostic and treatment decisions.

Does this clinic replace lung cancer screening?

No. The clinic is intended to complement established lung cancer screening programs by addressing findings discovered on scans performed for other reasons.

Expanding the Reach of Early Detection

The clinic is intended to complement, not replace, lung cancer screening programs. Annual low-dose CT screening remains recommended for eligible adults with significant smoking histories. Yet many people who develop lung cancer never qualify for screening.

“Many people who develop lung cancer aren’t eligible for screening, including never-smokers, younger patients and many women and Hispanic patients in our community who can present with cancer with less smoking history,” Dr. Rodriguez said.

By capturing suspicious findings on scans performed for entirely different reasons, the clinic creates an additional pathway to early detection.

Leavitt believes the program’s greatest strength may be its ability to unite teams across the health system around a common goal.

“It’s been a great opportunity for collaboration across our health system,” she said. “It touches so many departments and allows for excellent and efficient care coordination.”

Ultimately, clinic leaders will measure success not by the number of nodules identified, but by whether more lung cancers are found at earlier, more treatable stages and whether patients receive timely, guideline-based care.

“We’ll track stage at diagnosis over time,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “Success means catching cancers earlier while giving everyone else reassurance and a clear plan.”