A pulmonary nodule is a discrete opacity in the lung which may be caused by: 1  Neoplasm: benign or malignant. 2  Granuloma: tuberculosis. 3  Infection: roundish pneumonia. 4  Vascular: infarct, varix, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, rheumatoid arthritis.
1 Helium is also commonly used to pressurize and purge systems of unwanted gases. 2  It is also used in controlled atmospheres when the levels of different gases have to be kept constant. 3  It is used as a protective gas when growing silicon and germanium crystals and when producing titanium and zirconium.
Helium Hotspot. Although helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, most of it in the Earth's atmosphere bleeds off into space. Helium used for industrial purposes is a byproduct of natural gas production, and the Texas Panhandle is the United States' helium capital.