CT Scans

Our 64-slice CT (Computerized Tomography) Scanner combines unrivaled image quality with remarkable speed. It produces detailed pictures of any organ in a few seconds and provides sharp, clear, three-dimensional images, including 3-D views of the blood vessels in an instant.

CT LUNG SCREENING
American Cancer Society-funded research has contributed to a nearly 30% drop in lung cancer death rates in men over the past 20 years, and death rates in women are starting to decline after increasing for decades.

Lung cancer is the second-most diagnosed cancer in men and women. About 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking, however, 60% of lung cancer patients have never smoked or are former smokers who quit decades ago, according to the Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA).

What is Lung Cancer Screening
CT Lung Screening is a non-invasive, painless procedure that utilizes lo- dose CT to screen patients' lungs for cancer. This screening allows radiologists to examine the lungs in detail, allowing for the detection of smaller nodules or cancers with more sensitivity and accuracy than a chest x-ray. Recent research suggests that detection of these nodules at a very small size may dramatically improve likelihood of survival of lung cancer.

Why have the procedure?
Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States, responsible for more deaths annually than prostate, colorectal and breast cancers combined. Early detection of small cancers allows doctors to cure lung cancer an estimated 80% of the time. Catching lung cancer early greatly increases the survival rate. Recent clinical trials showed that CT screening of current heavy smokers and former smokers who have quit smoking reduced their risk of dying from lung cancer by 20%. In July of 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force officially recommended CT Lung Cancer screening for all patients who meet the criteria listed in the First Tier below. Under the Affordable Care Act, this means that insurance providers will be required to cover this screening beginning in 2015 for anyone who fits into these specific criteria.

Who should Have a Lung Cancer Screening?
Individuals over the age of 55 with a 30+ pack year history of smoking. (A pack year is the number of packs smoked per day times the number of years one has smoked. Smoking a pack of cigarettes daily for 30 years or two packs daily for 15 years would equal 30 pack years.)

Individuals over the age of 50 with a 20+ pack year history of smoking and one other risk factor such as:

• Exposure to asbestos
• Contact with radon
• A personal history of other cancers
• A family history of lung cancer
• A personal history of other lung disease
• Contact with second-hand smoke

How do I Schedule a Lung Cancer Screening?
By law we must have a physician order to perform this exam. However, if you would like to schedule an appointment yourself, you may call 910-291-7244.

Contact Us
Please feel free to give us a call 910-291-7731 with any questions that you may have.