title: Low-dose chest computed tomography as a screening tool: findings in 536 aircrews.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plain chest radiographs and pulmonary function tests have been used for pulmonary screening for flight duties of aircrews of the Republic of Korea Air Force. However, the screening accuracy of plain chest radiographs is controversial. Chest CT imaging with low-dose protocol (LDCT) improves detection of intra-thoracic abnormalities compared to plain chest radiographs. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of LDCT on flight duties of aircrews and to investigate their radiologic findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2009 to May 2011, the Aerospace Medical Center screened asymptomatic subjects 40 yr of age or older to evaluate intra-thoracic abnormalities using LDCT. The abnormal findings, including types and frequency, were recorded and the aircrew's flight duties were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study included 536 subjects. No abnormal findings were found in 387 (72.2%) subjects. Abnormal findings related to pulmonary nodules were detected in 123 (23.00%) subjects. Air-trapping lesions were found in 33 (6.1%) subjects. One subject had a mediastinal tumor. Changes of flight duty were made in 26 (4.9%) subjects on the basis of LDCT findings. No subject was permanently disqualified for flight duty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulmonary screening with LDCT could detect many intra-thoracic abnormalities. LDCT was especially useful in the detection of bullae and bleb, and the flight duties of all subjects with bullae and bleb were changed.
authors.affiliation: Aerospace Medical Center, Chungwon-gun, Choongbuk, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Daekeon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Ok-Man
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Wi-Sub
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Ju-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jeongku
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed