Introduccion: la deteccion del nodulo pulmonar solitario (NPS) suele ser casual. Se deben diferenciar las lesiones benignas de las malignas, para establecer el seguimiento y las intervenciones terapeuticas adecuadas. Objetivo: revisar el estado actual del diagnostico y el tratamiento del NPS. Metodologia: se revisaron las bases de datos PubMed, Science Direct, OvidSP, EBSCOhost y Scielo, en busqueda de revisiones sistematicas, metaanalisis, guias, consensos y revisiones con palabras claves tomadas del Mesh: solitary pulmonary nodule, lung neoplasm, diagnosis, therapy. Se consideraron publicaciones de 1986 a 2011. Resultados: se obtuvieron 329 articulos, de los cuales 55 permitian cumplir el objetivo de la revision. Existen recomendaciones para estudiar a los pacientes que presentan NPS. Esta disponible la guia propuesta por American College of Chest Physician (ACCP). La mayoria de los nodulos son de etiologia benigna. El riesgo de malignidad del NPS se evalua segun factores de riesgo del paciente y caracteristicas radiologicas de la lesion, incluyendo: tamano, tasa de crecimiento, calcificaciones, atenuacion, margenes, realce con contraste y tasa metabolica. Las ayudas imagenologicas son: radiografia de torax, TAC de torax y PET/CT. Los NPS de alto grado de malignidad deben ser intervenidos quirurgicamente, prefiriendo tecnicas minimamente invasivas. El seguimiento de los nodulos indeterminados y benignos se debe realizar con TAC de alta resolucion y PET/ CT, si esta indicado. Conclusion: un abordaje adecuado del NPS permite diagnosticos oportunos de cancer de pulmon, mejora la sobrevida global y limita las intervenciones innecesarias. Rev.Cienc.biomed. 2013;4(1): 125-133 PALABRAS CLAVES Nodulo pulmonar solitario; Neoplasias pulmonares; Diagnostico; Tratamiento. SUMMARY Introduction: the detection of the solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) is usually casual. Benign injuries must be differentiated from malignant injuries to establish the adequate medical monitoring and therapeutic interventions. Objective: to check the current condition of the diagnosis and treatment of SPN. Methods: databases PubMed, Science Direct, OvidSP, EBSCOhost and Scielo were reviewed. The search included systematic reviews, meta-analysis, guidelines, consensus and reviews with keywords got from Mesh: Solitary pulmonary nodule, lung neoplasm, diagnosis and therapy. Publications since 1986 to 2011 were considered. Results: 329 articles were obtained. 55 of them allowed reaching the aim of the review. There are recommendations to study to patients with SPN; the guideline proposed by the American College of Chest Physician (ACCP) is available. Most of the nodules are of benign etiology. The risk of malignancy of SPN is assessed according to risk factors of the patient and to the radiological characteristics of the lesion, including: Size, growth rate, calcifications, attenuation, margins, highlight with contrast and metabolic rate. Image studies are: Thoracic radiography, Computed Axial Tomography (CT) of the chest and PET/CT. The SPN with high degree of malignancy must be intervened surgically with minimally invasive technologies as first option. The monitoring of indeterminate and benign nodules must be done with CT of high resolution and PET/CT if it is indicated. Conclusion: an adequate approach of SPN allows opportune diagnosis of lung neoplasm; it improves the worldwide survival and limits the unnecessary interventions. Rev.Cienc.biomed. 2013;4(1): 125-133 KEYWORDS Solitary pulmonary nodule; Lung neoplasms; Diagnosis;Therapy.