Lung Cancer Screening & Diagnosis

What is lung screening and why are they important?

Lung screening is important for several reasons, primarily related to early detection and prevention of lung-related diseases, especially lung cancer. Detection of Other Lung Conditions: Lung screening may also detect other lung-related conditions besides lung cancer, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary nodules. Early detection of these conditions can lead to timely management and better health outcomes.


Make an Appointment

Don't wait – take the first step towards early detection by scheduling your lung cancer screening today.

Call 855.255.6181

Find a Location

Explore our network of accredited facilities and find a convenient options for your screening.

Locations

Benefits

Screening is a life-saving tool in the fight against cancer, helping us find the disease in its early stages when it can be more successfully treated. Lung cancer patients are actually almost 10 times as likely to live longer when they are diagnosed and treated early.

Lung cancer screening is easy, accessible, painless and generally covered by insurance (most insurance companies cover the cost of a low-dose CT scan).

Who Should Be Screened?

How Pack Years Are Calculated

A pack year is the number of packs of cigarettes a person smoked per day, multiplied by the number of years they have smoked. For example, 20 pack years could include 20 years where you smoked one pack a day OR 10 years where you smoked two packs a day.


What to Expect

A referral for a lung cancer screening could come from different sources – your primary care provider, pulmonologist or other specialist – who will determine if you’re eligible and if a scan is right for you. You will need a separate appointment for the scan.

Lung cancer screening consists of having a low-dose CT scan of the chest every year. The scan provides detailed images to identify any changes or abnormalities for follow-up. 

A low-dose CT exposes patients to only 10% of the radiation compared to a regular CT scan. The scanner is an open machine, so patients do not feel claustrophobic. The scan only takes a few minutes, is pain-free, and does not involve needles, shots, or injections.


Smoking Cessation Support

Hartford HealthCare’s “STOP Smoking & Vaping Cessation Program” offers in-person and virtual options for smoking cessation.

Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute

Looking Out for Lung Cancer

Daniel Walker, MD, Thoracic Surgeon, Hartford HealthCare Medical Group discusses signs and symptoms of lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Screening

What happens during a screening for lung cancer.


What Happens After Your Screening

An expert radiologist will review your low-dose CT scan, and you will be contacted with your results. If there are normal findings, be sure to schedule your annual screening for next year.

If any findings need additional review, a nurse navigator will help you with the next steps and connect you to our lung specialists.


Insurance information

Most insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover the cost of a low-dose CT scan annually. However, the cost is subject to approval from your healthcare insurance provider. Our team can help find payment options for patients who are uninsured or underinsured.


Research

Some patients with more advanced lung cancer might be considered for clinical research trials into new treatments. Talk with your specialist about options.


Lung Screening Locations

Screening locations are conveniently located throughout Connecticut.

Lung Cancer News

September 23, 2024

5 Common Causes of Lung Cancer Besides Smoking

When you hear “lung cancer,” smoking is probably the first thing that comes to mind. And while it’s true that [...]

January 08, 2024

Is Vaping Worse Than Smoking?

Vaping offers a safe alternative to smoking for people looking to make a change. Or does it? “I don’t want [...]

November 30, 2023

Why More Young Women Are Getting Lung Cancer

While lung cancer cases in the U.S. have dropped over the last few years, they’re on the rise for certain [...]

November 13, 2023

Are You a Former Smoker? You May Still Need to Get Screened for Lung Cancer

If you’re a former smoker who kicked the habit years ago, you may not think there’s a need for lung [...]

June 07, 2023

Could Distant Wildfires Be Impacting My Health?

If you’ve gone outside lately, you were likely met by a yellowish haze instead of fresh air. The wildfires that [...]

March 28, 2023

Backus Offers Procedure to Improve COPD Patients’ Quality of Life

Pulmonologists at Backus Hospital are now offering a procedure for patients with severe COPD that can greatly improve their breathing [...]

Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute