title: The assessment of the role of baseline low-dose CT scan in patients at high risk of lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the progress in contemporary medicine comprising diagnostic and therapeutic methods, lung cancer is still one of the biggest health concerns in many countries of the world. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the detection rate of pulmonary nodules and lung cancer in the initial, helical low-dose CT of the chest as well as the analysis of the relationship between the size and the histopathological character of the detected nodules.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 1999 initial, consecutive results of the CT examinations performed within the framework of early lung cancer detection program initiated in Szczecin. The project enrolled persons of both sexes, aged 55-65 years, with at least 20 pack-years of cigarette smoking or current smokers. The analysis included assessment of the number of positive results and the evaluation of the detected nodules in relationship to their size. All of the nodules were classified into I of VI groups and subsequently compared with histopathological type of the neoplastic and nonneoplastic pulmonary lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pulmonary nodules were detected in 921 (46%) subjects. What is more, malignant lesions as well as lung cancer were significantly, more frequently discovered in the group of asymptomatic nodules of the largest dimension exceeding 15 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The initial, low-dose helical CT of the lungs performed in high risk individuals enables detection of appreciable number of indeterminate pulmonary nodules. In most of the asymptomatic patients with histopathologically proven pulmonary nodules greater than 15 mm, the mentioned lesions are malignant, what warrants further, intensified diagnostics.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology PUM, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 1, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Kołaczyk
authors: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology PUM, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 1, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Walecka
authors: Clinical Division of Thoracic Surgery PUM, Specialist Hospital, prof. Alfred Sokołowski Scales, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Grodzki
authors: Clinical Division of Thoracic Surgery PUM, Specialist Hospital, prof. Alfred Sokołowski Scales, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Jacek
authors: J
authors: Alchimowicz
authors: Department of Gastroenterology PUM, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 1, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Smereczyński
authors: Department of Cardiology PUM, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 2, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Radosław
authors: R
authors: Kiedrowicz
keywords: Low-Dose CT; Lung Cancer; Pulmonary Nodule