If you are a smoker between ages 50 and 80, your healthcare professional might have recommended you a low-dose computed tomography (also called a low-dose CT scan, or LDCT) to screen for lung cancer.
If you have questions about what this means or how the screening works, you are in the right place! Take a few minutes to review some of the most frequently asked question about this powerful tool to help detect lung cancers early.
What is the benefit of screening?
Doctors recommend a screening test to find a disease early, when treatment may work better.
Who should be screened?
The US Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) recommends yearly lung cancer screening with LDCT for people who:
- Are between 50 and 80 years old and
- Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years, and
- Have a 20 “pack-year” or more smoking history
What is a “pack-year”?
To calculate “pack years”, multiply the number of years a person smoked by the number of packs they smoked each day.
A person could have a 20-pack-year history, for example, if they smoked:
- 1 pack a day for 20 years
- 2 packs a day for 10 years
- 1 ½ packs a day for a little longer than 13 years
- 3 packs a day for a little longer than 6 ½ years
What happens during a lung cancer screening?
You lie on a table and an x-ray machine uses a low dose (amount) of radiation to make detailed images of your lungs. The scan only takes a few minutes and is not painful. Results are typically available within a few days of your screening from your doctor.
Where can I get a low-dose CT for lung cancer screening?
YKHC offers lung cancer screenings at the hospital in Bethel.
How can I get an appointment? Do I need to speak with my doctor first?
An appointment for CT lung cancer screening can be requested after a conversation with your doctor about your history, current concerns, and risks for lung cancer. Your provider may be able to arrange for screening the day of your visit, or you can call 907-543-6442 to schedule an appointment.