title: Computed tomography screening for lung cancer: a survey of society of thoracic radiology members.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the availability, attributes, and hindrances of current and developing US lung cancer screening programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic questionnaire was sent to the membership of the Society of Thoracic Radiology in August 2013 and remained open for 4 weeks. Of the 225 US-based members, we received 140 responses representing 82 unique health care institutions. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the responding health care institutions' LDCT screening availability and components.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of responding institutions reported having an active LDCT screening program (65.9%). Of the responding institutions without an active program, 89.3% reported they were considering having an LDCT screening program in the future, and 35.7% (n=10) indicated the developing status of screening recommendations as a motivating factor in not offering a screening program. Forty-four percent of participating LDCT screening centers reported that their services were self-pay only, and nearly half charged a rate of $200 to $500 for screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our sample, we found that a majority of respondents were engaged in LDCT screening programs. Growth of such programs is expected in the coming years. Finalizing screening guidelines and insurance reimbursement will likely remove barriers that inhibit further growth of LDCT lung cancer screening programs.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health †Cancer Prevention and Control Program ‡College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC §Sealy Center on Aging, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston ∥Department of Radiology, Houston Methodist, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Eberth
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Suzanne K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Linder
authors.forename: Nancy R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Gallant
authors.forename: Reginald F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Munden
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States