An LDCT scan (low-dose CT scan) is a preventative health check, like a mammogram or colonoscopy, that creates a detailed 3-D picture of your lungs. While you will be exposed to a low dose of radiation during an LDCT scan, this type of scan uses 75% less radiation than a regular CT scan and does not require any needles. A scan can find something before you know it’s there and before you have symptoms. If you qualify, USPSTF guidelines recommend a yearly screening.

You may qualify for a Lung Cancer Screening CT if:

  • You are age 50-80
  • Smoke (or used to smoke) with a 20-pack-year history.
    • 1 pack-year = 1 pack per day/per year for 20 years or 2 packs per day/for 10 years
  • Have had a visit with your provider to get an order for screening and discuss smoking cessation, pros and cons of testing (must have an order from a provider).
    • People should not be screened if they have serious health problems that will likely limit how long they will live or if they won’t be able to or won’t want to get treatment if lung cancer is found.
    • People who still smoke should be counseled about quitting and given resources to help them quit.
  • Have a prior authorization from your insurance from the ordering provider’s office (if out of RHSHC’s network)

Lung cancer facts:

  • Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in both men and women, and it is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths.
  • People who smoke or used to smoke are at higher risk for lung cancer, and this risk goes up based on how much and how long someone has smoked. Although quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer over time compared to continuing smoking, the risk is still higher than among people who have never smoked.
  • By the time lung cancer starts to cause symptoms, it has often grown too big (or spread too far) for it to be removed completely.
  • Very early lung cancers usually do not cause any symptoms. Screening can help find these cancers early, when treatment is most likely to be successful.
  • Many deaths from lung cancer could be prevented if people who qualify for lung cancer screening got tested every year.
  • Although most lung cancers are caused by smoking, lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked. However, at this time, it’s very hard to tell which people who have never smoked might be at high enough risk for lung cancer to include them in the screening recommendations.

 

Benefits and Possible harm of screening:

  • Lung cancer screening with yearly LDCT scans might save your life if cancer is found at an early stage when it’s likely to be easier to treat. But the test is not perfect, and there are some limits and risks to think about before getting screened.
  • LDCT scans might not find some lung cancers or they might not always find lung cancer early enough for it to make a difference in terms of a person’s treatment or outlook.
  • Sometimes, LDCT scans might find abnormal areas in the lungs that look like cancer but that turn out not to be cancer. Even so, this might lead to further testing, including more scans, tests, and possibly surgeries (like a biopsy), which could have more risks.
  • Scans of the chest can also sometimes show abnormal areas outside of the lungs. This might be helpful if the area is something that needs to be treated. But it can also result in needing more scans, tests, and possibly surgeries (like a biopsy), even if it turns out not to be something that needs to be treated.
  • The LDCT scan uses a small amount of radiation. There’s a very small chance that radiation from repeated LDCT tests could cause cancer later on, but the benefits of screening far outweigh the very low risk of this happening.

Order from a Provider is Required; Preauthorization and insurance requested. 

Lung Cancer Screening CT services are available on-site at RHSHC:

Monday-Friday   8AM-5PM

Call the Radiology Department at 563-547-6374 to schedule or learn more.