Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is a leading cause of premature death, but catching it early significantly increases your chance of survival. Schatzki Associates in Cambridge, Massachusetts, offers expert lung cancer screening services for at-risk people. With regular screenings, you can be confident of finding lung cancer at an early stage when it’s far more treatable. Call Schatzki Associates to arrange your lung cancer screening.

What is lung cancer screening?

The Schatzki Associates team uses lung cancer screening to assess patients with a significant risk of developing lung cancer but who aren’t experiencing any symptoms.

Lung cancer screening involves a painless low dose computed tomography (CT) scan of your chest. CT combines advanced X-ray technology and computer software to create multiple cross-sectional images of your body.

Schatzki Associates is an American College of Radiology (ACR) designated lung cancer screening center.

Why would I need lung cancer screening?

It might be advisable for you to undergo lung cancer screening if your risk of developing lung cancer is high. Lung cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer, mainly in people who smoke or have done so previously.

Your risk of lung cancer increases in line with how much you smoke and for how long. Other risk factors for lung cancer include exposure to radon gas or asbestos, chronic lung disease, a family history of lung cancer, and being over 50. If you have any of these risk factors, your doctor might recommend lung cancer screening.

What happens during lung cancer screening?

When you arrive at Schatzki Associates, you lie on a CT exam table, often with your arms above your head. The highly skilled technician might use pillows and straps to ensure you remain in the correct position.

When the CT scan begins, the table you’re on slides inside the circular scanner. The table moves slowly when it’s in the correct position as the CT machine scans your body. You need to hold your breath for between five and ten seconds to ensure the image is clear.

What happens after a lung cancer screening procedure?

Lung cancer screening might discover nodules in your lungs. Small ones present a 5% chance of being cancerous, so you should have regular CT scans to monitor their progress.

If your screening procedure discovers larger lung nodules, your radiologist might do a biopsy by taking a tissue sample to analyze the cells. Or they may perform additional imaging such as PET CT. 

People whose lung cancer screening finds evidence of cancer should discuss the most appropriate treatment with their doctor.

Call Schatzki Associates to learn how you could benefit from lung cancer screening.