Lung Screening & Diagnostics
Lung cancer doesn't usually show early symptoms, which can make it difficult to detect until it's in an advanced stage. That's where screening comes in. Screening is like a health checkup for your lungs, even if you feel fine. It helps find cancer before you notice any symptoms, making treatment more effective.
Do I Need a Lung Cancer Screening?
Ask your primary care provider about a lung cancer screening at Torrance Memorial if you meet all these criteria:
- You’re between the ages of 50 and 80.
- You currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years.
- You have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history, meaning you smoked a pack a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years.
Screening Cost
Torrance Memorial offers lung cancer screenings for $205. Medicare and most private insurance companies cover the cost if you meet the screening criteria, meaning you’re at a higher risk of lung cancer than the general population.
Request a Screening
Ask your doctor’s office to complete a CT lung screening order form [PDF] and fax it to either of these:
- Torrance Memorial’s Cancer Resource Center at 310-784-8722
- Centralized Scheduling at 310-784-6366 or 424-286-4707
After we receive the order form, we’ll call you to schedule the screening. You can also call Centralized Scheduling at 310-517-4738 to make your appointment.
What to Expect
You don’t need to do anything to prepare for a lung cancer screening. The exam uses computed tomography (CT), but with a lower dose of radiation than a typical CT scan.
You lie on a table, and an X-ray beam moves around your body to take images of your lungs from multiple angles. You may need to hold your breath to keep your lungs still for a short time.
The entire test takes less than a minute, and you can return to your daily activities right afterward.
Accredited in CT Imaging
We want you to feel confident in our quality of care. That’s why Polak Imaging Pavilion and Torrance Memorial Medical Center are accredited in CT imaging by the American College of Radiology. The accreditation means we’ve proven we have the staff, technology and processes to ensure your safety and accurate results.
Screening Results
Your results will appear in MyTorranceMemorial Patient Portal after a radiologist reviews your images. Within a few business days of the exam, your primary care physician will also receive the results to review with you. If you’d like an electronic copy of the images, ask the front desk at Polak Imaging Pavilion or call 310-784-6323.
Diagnosing Lung Cancer
If your screening shows something unusual, your doctor may order bronchoscopy to learn more. This procedure uses a thin tube with a light and camera to examine your airways. Depending on the specific technology, your exam may involve:
- Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy – Helps a doctor better reach parts of the lungs that are deep in your chest
- Endobronchial ultrasound – Combines bronchoscopy with ultrasound imaging
- Ion endoluminal system – Uses ultra-precise, robotic technology to help doctors reach even a tiny lesion deep in a lung—so they don’t need to make an incision to reach it
Biopsy
During bronchoscopy, your doctor may remove a tiny sample of the unusual lung tissue and then send it to a pathologist. This type of doctor performs a biopsy—examination of the tissue in a lab. The biopsy shows whether the tissue is cancerous.
Complete Cancer Care
If you learn you have lung cancer, rest assured that you’ll have access to the latest, most effective treatments and compassionate support at the Hunt Cancer Institute.
