Low dose CT in early lung cancer diagnosis: Prevalence data.
OBJECTIVE
Lung cancer has a high mortality rate and its prognosis largely depends on early detection. We report the prevalence data of the study on early detection of lung cancer with low-dose spiral CT underway at our hospital.


METHODS
Since the beginning of 2001, 519 asymptomatic volunteers have undergone annual blood tests, sputum tests, urinalyses and low-dose spiral CT. The inclusion criteria were age (=/> 55 years old), a history of cigarette smoking and a negative history for previous neoplastic disease. The diagnostic workup varied depending on the size and CT features of the nodules detected.


RESULTS
At baseline, the CT scan detected nodules > 5 mm in 22% of subjects; the nodules were single in 42 and multiple in 71. In 53% of cases the findings were completely negative, while in 122 (23.4%) nodules with a diameter < 5 mm were detected. Six cases of lung cancer were identified, of which four were stage I, one stage was IIIB and one was stage IV with adrenal metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary data on spiral CT as a potential new diagnostic tool for lung cancer screening, although less promising than the Japanese and ELCAP results, confirm the feasibility of the technique. Additional validation is, however, required.
Cardinale
Luciano
L
Istituto di Radiologia, Università degli Studi di Torino, Polo Ospedale San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Italy. garilux@tin.it
Cortese
Giancarlo
G
Borasio
Piero
P
Dogliotti
Luigi
L
Ferraris
Fabrizio
F
Novello
Silvia
S
Perotto
Fabio
F
Scagliotti
Giorgio
G
Fava
Cesare
C
D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015995:Prevalence; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012907:Smoking; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed