If you smoke, here’s how to determine if you should get screened for lung cancer every year.
Smoking is by far the biggest risk factor for developing lung cancer. That’s why recommendations for lung cancer screenings focus only on people who currently smoke or have recently quit and have a history of smoking over many years. Depending on how long and how much you smoked, it may be recommended that you get an annual lung cancer screening.
What type of lung cancer screenings are available?
The only recommended screening test for lung cancer is a low-dose computed tomography (CT scan). This test only takes a few minutes to complete and is painless. During the screening, you lie flat on a table and an X-ray machine uses a low dose of radiation to create a detailed image of your lungs. This allows medical professionals to see if there are any changes to your lungs that may indicate you have lung cancer.
Who should get a low-dose CT scan?
The current Maury Regional Health (MRH) guidelines recommend that you get a low-dose CT scan every year if you meet the following conditions:
∙ 50-77 years of age
∙ No signs or symptoms of lung cancer
∙ Have a tobacco smoking history of at least 20 pack-years (one pack-year equals smoking one pack per day for one year; one pack equals 20 cigarettes)
∙ A current smoker or one who has quit within the last 15 years
∙ Received a written order for lung cancer screening with low-dose CT that meets the requirements described in the National Coverage Determination by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
To determine your pack-year smoking history, multiply the number of packs of cigarettes you smoked per day by the number of years you have smoked. For example, if you smoked one pack a day for 20 years, you have a 20-pack-year smoking history. If you smoked two packs a day for 10 years, you also have a 20-pack-year smoking history.
It is recommended that screenings be stopped once you have not smoked for 15 years.
Talk to your doctor about whether a low-dose CT scan is right for you if you smoke or have recently quit smoking.
Learn more about lung cancer screenings at MRH by going to MauryRegional.com/CT-Lung-Screening. CT services are available at Maury Regional Medical Center, Spring Hill Imaging Center, Marshall Medical Center and Wayne Medical Center.
Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) was recently awarded a three-year term of accreditation in CT as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.
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Date Last Reviewed: September 13, 2022
Editorial Review: Andrea Cohen, Editorial Director, Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Contact Editor
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