Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening

Low-dose CT: So you never have to wonder  

Low-dose CT scans give patients with lung cancer a valuable head start on treatment and a chance to live longer. Depending on your insurance coverage, the screening might be covered under your plan. If you don’t have insurance, Reid offers these scans, year-round, for only $29.  

Low-dose CT screenings produce clearer images than traditional chest X-rays, allowing us to identify lung cancer in early, more treatable stages.

Peace of mind only takes 15 minutes

Using less radiation than standard CT scans, low-dose CT lung cancer screenings take highly detailed X-rays of your lungs from different angles. A computer then compiles those images, giving your clinician a comprehensive view of your lungs and any abnormalities that might exist. If the test reveals anything suspicious, your provider can perform additional tests to determine if you have lung cancer.

The test takes about 15 minutes and doesn’t require any special preparation. In one to two weeks, you'll get the results of your scan — and the information you need to be proactive about your health.

The sooner, the better: The importance of early detection of lung cancer

When lung cancer develops, you might not know it at first. Often, the disease doesn't cause symptoms until it grows and spreads. By the time symptoms, such as coughing or chest pain, appear, cancer is more difficult to treat. If your provider finds lung cancer before it spreads, however, you have a 60% chance of living at least five years, according to the American Lung Association.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and claims more lives each year than colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).  

Unlike other forms of lung cancer screening, a low-dose CT scan has been shown to reduce the risk of death from lung cancer in heavy smokers. If you smoke or did so in the past and meet certain criteria, a low-dose CT scan is well worth your time.

What can a low-dose CT scan show?  

This test uses X-rays that emit a small amount of radiation to produce images of the lungs. These detailed images can show spots on the lungs called nodules. Lung nodules are common, and most are not cancerous. A very small percentage turn out to be lung cancer, though, and a low-dose CT scan can find these spots when they're tiny and not causing symptoms.

What to expect from a low-dose CT scan

A low-dose CT scan is quick and simple. During the scan, you'll lie on your back on a table that slides into the CT machine. As you lie on the table, the machine will take images of your chest. The scan takes about 15 minutes.

One to two weeks later, your provider will receive the images. If your images show a nodule, your provider might want to monitor it with additional CT scans to see if it grows. A nodule that stays the same size likely isn't cancerous. If the nodule grows, your provider might recommend more imaging tests or a biopsy, in which a provider takes a sample of the nodule and tests it for cancer.

If a nodule turns out to be lung cancer, you and your provider will discuss the next steps, which could include referring you to a cancer specialist, a surgeon, or both.

Navigating the next steps

Most suspicious spots detected with low-dose CT scans aren’t cancerous. However, if your scan leads to a lung cancer diagnosis, you have a team by your side at Reid Cancer Center.

Our compassionate cancer navigators will help you schedule follow-up tests and appointments, and our team of oncologists will develop a treatment plan tailored to you. Reid Cancer Center has the same advanced diagnostics and sophisticated treatments you'll find at large, metropolitan medical centers, all close to home and your support system. We offer:

• Chemotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery