Background To investigate the safety and efficacy of CT-guided lung nodule localization needles for the preoperative localization of small pulmonary nodules.

Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 102 patients with a total of 113 small pulmonary nodules who underwent preoperative localization at Jinan Fourth People’s Hospital from January 2024 to December 2025. Nodule diameter and depth, localization time, the number of pleural punctures, the localization success rate, and postoperative complications (hook dislodgement, hemorrhage, and pneumothorax) were recorded. All patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) after localization.

Results The mean nodule diameter was 0.97±0.36 cm, the mean depth was 1.26±0.48 cm, and the mean localization time was 9.8±3.65 minutes. The hook dislodgement rate was 0.98% (1/102), the intrapulmonary hemorrhage rate was 14.71% (15/102), and the pneumothorax rate was 16.67% (17/102). All pulmonary nodules were successfully resected by VATS at 73.82±13.83 minutes after localization, and no severe complications occurred.

Conclusions The use of a CT-guided lung nodule localization needle for the preoperative localization of small pulmonary nodules decreases the time needed for intraoperative nodule detection and operation time. This strategy is a simple, safe, and accurate preoperative localization method that is worthy of increased clinical use.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

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This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of [Fourth People's Hospital of Jinan] (Approval No.: [LL20260045]). The requirement for informed consent was waived due to the retrospective nature of the study.

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