A study by the National Cancer Institute reveals encouraging news about the use of low dose CT lung screenings in early stage diagnosis of lung cancer.

Atlantic Medical Imaging (AMI) in Cape May Court House is now offering low dose CT lung screenings, a breakthrough new tool in the fight against lung cancer. Today, 85 percent of patients diagnosed with lung cancer in the United States will die from it within five years.

With over 160,000 deaths per year, lung cancer has become the number one cancer killer in America, claiming more lives than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined.

AMI is hoping to alter those statistics with early detection. Low dose CT lung screenings of high-risk patients can detect lung cancers in their earliest stage, when up to 92 percent can be cured.

“Early detection of cancer improves patient outcomes and saves lives,” said Robert M. Glassberg, M.D., president and CEO of Atlantic Medical Imaging. “A low dose CT scan offers more hope for the early detection of lung cancer than we’ve ever had. In the recent National Lung Screening Trial, the National Cancer Institute concluded that annual CT screenings in high risk individuals resulted in a 20 percent reduction in mortality compared with conventional x-ray screening.”

AMI is one of a select few imaging practices nation-wide to offer this state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging.
CT lung screening is a noninvasive procedure that uses low-dose x-rays to screen the lungs for cancer in just 10 seconds. The CT scan is a painless procedure in which a special computerized tomography imaging machine rotates rapidly around the body, taking more than 100 pictures in sequence.

The low dose CT lung screening is intended for patients age 55-74 who have smoked at least one pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years or more, or at least two packs of cigarettes a day for 15 years or more. In addition, individuals ages 50-54 who have smoked at least one pack a day for 20 years and with risk factors such as a family history of lung cancer or asbestos exposure.

The screening is performed by subspecialty-trained radiologists. Participants will need to obtain a referral from their healthcare provider. To schedule an appointment, call (609) 463-9500.
For more information on low dose CT lung screening, call (609) 204-9279, or visit www.atlanticmedicalimaging.com.