Clearing the Air: Steps for Lung Cancer Screening Success

The results from the National Lung Screening Trial and the subsequent United States Preventative Services Task Force grade B recommendation in favor of using a screening low-dose chest computed tomography (S-LDCT) for early detection of lung cancer have generated a lot of excitement in the lung cancer community. Although that excitement has been tempered by the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee’s recent decision not to recommend that Medicare cover S-LDCT, screening computed tomography remains a popular topic in medical imaging literature. As many practices are now considering implementing these S-LDCT programs, we review the challenges for establishing such a screening program and discuss some tips for successfully implementing a lung cancer screening program.