Can lung nodules be caused by exposure to asbestos?

Unlikely: Lung nodules tend to be the result of either infectious processes or tumors (benign or malignant). Asbestos exposure usually results in calcificiation along the lining of the lungs (called pleural plaques) or scarring of the lungs (called asbestosis).

Sometimes: The most common diseases related to asbestos exposure involve the lining of the lung. However asbestos exposure can result in lung nodules.

Asbestos & plaques: Exposure to asbestos can commonly cause pleural plaques (nodules in the lining of the lung). Cancer of this lining (mesothelioma) is also associated with asbestos exposure (less common than pleural plaques).