Why did my healthcare provider recommend a low-dose lung CT screening for cancer?

If your healthcare provider recommends a low-dose lung CT screening, it means your medical history might put you at a higher risk for lung cancer. You may feel anxious about getting a lung cancer screening, but keep in mind that a CT scan is a highly accurate way to check your lung health, and a low-dose lung CT screening is a great method to do so.

A low-dose CT is the safest, most effective, and painless way for early detection of lung cancer. Early detection is important for successfully treating lung cancer, and low-dose lung CT is the optimal imaging choice for detecting small malignant growths before any symptoms appear.

In this blog post, we’ll help you understand:

• Why your provider has recommended a low-dose lung CT screening
• How a lung CT scan detects cancer
• The benefits of a low-dose screening
• What to expect from your appointment with Gateway Diagnostic Imaging 

Understanding why your provider recommended a low-dose lung CT screening

A low-dose lung CT scan is a screening tool for the early detection of lung cancer. Your healthcare provider may suggest this scan due to some of your personal risk factors. A low-dose CT can rule out the presence of any unusual growths in your lungs or can find these growths while they are small, so a treatment plan can be put in place.

Early detection improves lung cancer survival rates, and this scan can find small growths before they are visible on other tests, as well as, before any symptoms appear. 

What risk factors could lead my provider to recommend a low-dose lung CT scan?  

Risk factors include:

• Aged 50 – 77 years
• Tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack-years (one pack-year = smoking one pack per day for one year; 1 pack = 20 cigarettes).
• Current smoker or one who has quit smoking within the last 15 years
• If you have a family history of lung cancer, or if you have had long-term exposure to substances like asbestos or radon. 

You are eligible for a low-dose lung CT screening if you are asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). 

Why is a low-dose lung CT scan the preferred screening method for high-risk individuals? 

A low-dose lung CT scan can find lung nodules or growths before any symptoms appear. 

This scan uses less radiation than other CT scans, so it is considered lower risk. That is why low-dose CT scans are often the best approach to screen for the possible presence of lung cancer.

How a low-dose lung CT scan detects lung cancer  

A low-dose lung CT scan uses X-ray technology to take images of the lungs from multiple angles to get a comprehensive picture of the lungs. This scan detects even the smallest abnormalities to help your healthcare provider understand more about the health of your lungs. 

Repeated scans over time can help track the progression of any growths, so your provider can monitor your lung health and determine the best course of treatment to address any concerns.

How does a low-dose lung CT help my provider to diagnose any lung abnormalities?

The 3-D images from the low-dose lung CT scan give your healthcare provider valuable information about the health of your lungs. This includes:

• The Presence
• The exact location
• The extent of any growths or nodules

It also reveals possible infection, scarring, or fluid buildup in your lungs. The presence (or absence) of any of these conditions helps your provider understand the next steps to ensure the most appropriate treatment for any lung condition.

What conditions can a low-dose lung CT scan detect?

A low-dose lung CT scan can detect a range of lung abnormalities. In addition to cancerous growths or nodules, it can identify:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Infections like pneumonia
• Fluid buildup in the chest wall

How does a low-dose lung CT find lung cancer without using as much radiation as a normal CT scan? 

A low-dose lung CT machine is sensitive enough to provide clear images without the use of more radiation. This is possible because a low-dose lung CT focuses on a smaller area of the body. Therefore, a smaller portion of the body is exposed to the radiation during the scan. Additionally, advanced computer technology is used to process the images. This innovation creates clear images without the need for high levels of radiation to achieve the same clarity. 

The benefits of early detection through screening

A low-dose lung CT screening is a quick, non-invasive, pain-free scan that can detect lung cancer at an early stage, when it is most treatable. This screening is especially beneficial for individuals at higher risk, like long-time smokers, as it can help catch lung cancer before symptoms appear and improve the chances of successful treatment.

Why is early detection so important when it comes to lung cancer? 

Because lung cancer has no symptoms in the early stages, early detection allows for treatment before the cancer spreads (metastasized). A person’s survival rate is increased significantly if the cancer is found in the early stages. Additionally, treatment options for lung cancer found early can be less invasive, in comparison to later-stage cancer treatments. 

How can early detection improve survival rates and treatment options?  

Early detection means lung cancer can be treated before it spreads to other areas of the body, such as your lymph nodes or bloodstream. Once cancer spreads to other areas of the body, it becomes much more difficult to treat and is often considered advanced or metastatic. 

Early treatments for lung cancer generally have fewer side effects and tend to be less aggressive than treating cancer in its later stages, which is why healthcare providers often recommend routine screenings, especially for high-risk individuals.

How does regular screening impact your long-term health outcomes?  

Regular screenings can help identify changes in lung tissue from year to year, so lung health can continue to be monitored closely. 

What to expect before, during, and after your low-dose lung CT scan  

If your healthcare provider has recommended a low-dose lung CT scan, you might be feeling nervous about the next steps. One of the reasons this scan is recommended is because it is painless, quick, and non-invasive. It does not require much preparation or recovery time and offers detailed medical results to help shape your treatment options if needed. 

How should you get ready for a low-dose lung CT scan?  

Your healthcare provider will give you specific instructions about getting ready for the scan, so be sure to follow these carefully. Generally, no fasting or special requirements are required. You may be asked to avoid wearing lotions or deodorants, which may minimally interfere with the image quality of the scan. 

You will need to remove jewelry, piercings, and hearing aids if possible, before the scan. If you have a respiratory illness on the day of the scan, you should let your healthcare provider know, as this may interfere with scan results.

What happens during a low-dose lung CT scan? 

During your low-dose lung CT scan, you may be asked to change into a gown. You will be asked to lie down on a bed-like table, which will slide into a donut-shaped scanner for the scan to be completed. 

During the scan you will be asked to remain still, and may be asked to hold your breath for several seconds throughout the scan. This helps ensure the images are as clear as possible. 

 How long does a low-dose CT scan take?  

The entire scan takes less than ten minutes, and you will be able to communicate with the technologist at any time during the scan through an intercom inside the machine.

What should I expect when it comes to understanding my lung CT results?

Your low-dose lung CT scan results will be read by a sub-specialized radiologist, who will prepare a report of the findings for your doctor. Your doctor will then arrange an appointment to discuss the results of the report.

What will the results of my low-dose lung CT indicate?

When assessing the lungs for abnormalities such as growths, nodules, or fluids, your scan results are categorized as negative, positive, or indeterminate. 

• Negative means nothing abnormal was found.
• Positive means a nodule or growth was found
• Indeterminate means the results are unclear, and follow-up imaging or tests may be required. 

If the results are positive, it does not necessarily mean you have lung cancer, as nodules and other abnormalities can be benign. In this case, your provider may want to follow up with further scans or approaches to make sure any concerns are addressed.

How to schedule your scan with us

When you get your scan at one of Gateway Diagnostic Imaging’s centers, we’ll make sure you have access to affordable, high-quality medical imaging from sub-specialized radiologists and certified technologists. 

Reach out to a Gateway Diagnostic Imaging center near you and schedule your appointment today.