Three McLaren hospitals in the county are now offering low-dose CT scan screenings to detect early signs of lung cancer.
Lung cancer is most treatable when detected early, according to the hospital, while the low-dose scan exposes the patient to less radiation than traditional scans. The low-dose scan takes about 20-seconds.
“There is no preparation, no poking, and nothing terrible to drink,” Kevin Carter, DO, musculoskeletal radiologist with McLaren Oakland said in a statement. “Our goal through screening is to detect small cancers early when intervention and treatment are more likely to be curative. Unfortunately, too often we often see patient’s presenting too late when cancer has already spread beyond the lung and cure is more difficult. If you are a current smoker or former smoker, make your appointment today. This simple test just may save your life.”
The scan helps physicians identify small nodules and other abnormalities in the patient’s lung images. To be eligible for the screening, patients need to meet one of the following guidelines:
* Current smokers with at least a 30-pack per year smoking history
* Current or former smokers who quit in the last 15-years
* Between the ages of 55 and 77
The scans are offered at the hospital’s imaging centers, McLaren Oakland in Pontiac, McLaren Diagnostic Imaging in Clarkston and the McLaren Oakland Oxford campus in Oxford.
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