Lung cancer CT


 * Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Kim-Son H. Nguyen, M.D., M.P.A., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA,

Overview

 * 1) Benefits of CT Scans in lung cancer patients
 * 2) Providing anatomical detail to locate the tumor.
 * 3) Proximity to nearby structures
 * 4) Deciphering whether or not lymph nodes are enlarged in the mediastinum.

Unfortunately, research has shown that there are a number of false positives associated with CT scanning because a CT scan on its own can not determine malignancy. A recent study showed that approximately 40% of lung cancers that are considered malignant by CT scanning turn out to actually be benign after further testing. A positive result for a tumor using a CT scan is typically followed up with a biopsy for confirmation.



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