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Home » Types of Scans » Screening Exams » CT Screening » Lung Scan

Lung Scan

Patients Age 40+

INTRODUCTION

The Lung Scan provides a detailed visualization of the lungs. The Advanced Lung Analysis software allows highly accurate volume measurement of lung nodules. With its 3D volume measurement, we are better able to determine changes in nodule volume and to quantify growth rate and doubling time for lesions, allowing earlier and more accurate identification of small lung cancers. This enables our radiologists to detect lung cancer at its earliest stage, usually undetectable by an ordinary chest x-ray.

The Lung Scan can also detect other lung damage such as emphysema from smoking or lung scarring from prior infection.

WHO SHOULD BE SCREENED?

This screening is designed for smokers (those who have smoked the equivalent of one pack a day for 20 years), those exposed to second hand smoke, chronic emphysema sufferers, individuals with a family history of lung cancer or exposure to significant amounts of air pollution.

RESULTS

Detected nodules, depending on their significance may require follow-up to exclude interval growths. Follow-up exams are generally performed three-months, six-months or one-year from initial screening.

HEALTH NEWS FLASH

CT Screening Results & Motivation to Quit

A study in the April 2005 issue of Cancer found that patients with abnormal lung screening results were more likely to cease smoking. A total of 926 current smokers and 594 former smokers underwent three consecutive annual computed tomography (CT) chest scans. Abstinence from smoking after three years was highest in baseline smokers with three abnormal scans, followed by those with two abnormal scans then one or no abnormal scans, at 42%, 28% and 20% respectively. The results provide physicians an opportunity to increase motivation in patients to quitting smoking.

CT Screening Improves Survival Rates

The latest results from the International Early Lung Cancer Action Project (I-ELCAP) show that CT-based lung screening can find the disease early enough to improve survival rates. Current five-year survival rates for lung cancer that is detected without screening are only about 5-10%. Survival rates increase to 76-78% when screening of asymptomatic patients detects a cancer. Researchers are finding that 80% of lung cancers found through screening are stage I lesions with no lymph node metastases. When Stage 1 lesions are excised, the eight year survival rate increases to 95%.

I-ELCAP is a worldwide screening project that was started in 1993. To date, over 27,000 screening CTs have been performed. For more information visit www.ielcap.org.

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