Medically Reviewed
Low dose CT scanning for lung cancer can detect lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable, stage, or rule out the presence of cancer entirely, as in the images above.
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Computed tomography, commonly known as a CT scan, is a test that creates detailed pictures of structures inside your body.
A chest CT scan lets doctors look at your lungs to detect any unusual nodules, or lesions, within your lungs. These nodules can be either benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Studies show that when doctors are able to detect lung cancer early, via CT screenings, they are more curable than if caught later, when they become larger, spread, and are more symptomatic. This is important because lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related death in the United States. According to Cedars Sinai, experts estimate that more than 80 percent of lung cancers can be cured if they are detected at a very early stage.