Lung Cancer Screening - Low-Dose Computed Tomography (CT) Scan
Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and it is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. It claims more lives each year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined, and Kentucky has the highest rate of lung cancer in the country. For this very reason, Georgetown Cancer Center offers low-dose computed tomography (CT) testing to patients who might be at risk for lung cancer, including smokers and former smokers. A low-dose CT combines special x-ray equipment with sophisticated computers to produce multiple, cross-sectional images of the chest and lungs. This allows a radiologist to look inside the lungs and identify suspicious spots that may be potential cancers. The scan is painless and generally takes less than one minute.