Lung Screening and
Nodule Program

Lung cancer causes more deaths each year than breast, prostate and colon cancers combined. CT lung screenings help catch cancer early. The screening identifies nodules (abnormal growths) within the lungs that may be early signs of lung cancer. These nodules are often present before a person has physical symptoms of lung cancer.

During the scan, you lie on an exam table while a CT machine takes detailed images of your lungs. The scan is not painful and only takes a few minutes.

CT lung screening is only recommended for people who are at high risk of developing lung cancer due to their age and smoking history. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends an annual CT lung screening for lung cancer.

You may be eligible for an annual CT lung screening if you meet all the following criteria:

• You are between 50 and 80 years old.
• You currently smoke or used to smoke (quit date must be within the last 15 years).
• You smoked an average of at least one pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years.
• You don’t have a health condition that would keep you from safely having surgery if needed.

Not sure of your smoking history? Calculate it at smokingpackyears.com.

When you choose Emory for a lung cancer screening, you’re choosing expert care delivered by a team that’s here for you every step of the way.

• Care coordination and nurse navigation: Our team guides patients through the process, from your first phone call to follow-up testing and treatment.
  
  
• Multiple screening locations: CT lung screening is available at several Emory imaging sites across metro Atlanta, bringing convenience closer to your neighborhood.
  
  
• Caring specialists: If your screening shows nodules, you’ll meet with specialists such as thoracic surgeons and interventional pulmonologists. As part of a multidisciplinary team, they focus on early detection, accurate diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
• Robust technology and expertise: We offer robot-assisted bronchoscopy to diagnose pulmonary nodules accurately. Our specialists use minimally invasive lung cancer surgery to remove nodules safely.  We also use AI technology to help identify nodules that may need follow-up — giving our team more tools to catch lung cancer earlier.
  
  
• Collaboration with Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University: We work closely with specialists at Winship Cancer Institute, Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Lung Cancer Program at Winship is an international leader in lung cancer treatment and research.