Wellness Screenings
Low Dose Lung Cancer CT Screening
The key to fighting lung cancer is early detection. Low-dose CT scanning is the most effective way to diagnose lung cancer in its early stages.
Do you have a personal history of smoking and are worried about your potential risk of developing lung cancer?
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. A personal history of smoking is the most important risk factor for the developing lung cancers. Lung cancers which are not detected until they become symptomatic are more likely to be at a later stage and have a poor prognosis. The key to saving lives and improved patient outcomes for lung cancer is early detection.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends lung cancer screening CT every year for the following individuals:
Adults age 50-80 with a personal smoking history of 20 pack-years (an average of 1 pack per day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years) who either are still smoking or who have quit within the past 15 years.
We offer low dose lung cancer screening CT examinations utilizing the latest in low dose CT technology (up to 90% lower radiation dose than a traditional lung CT) to detect lung cancer in its earliest stage and save lives. The scan is fast, painless and does not require any needles or special pretreatment and the results are reported to your doctor utilizing the most up to date reporting guidelines usually within 24 hours. Most insurance carriers cover the cost of the exam for those with qualifying risk factors.
Please visit Should I Screen? for more information to see if lung cancer screening is right for you and contact your doctor to get a referral today.
Coronary Calcium Score CT Screening
A heart CT scan for coronary artery calcium is a non-invasive way of obtaining information about the presence, location and extent of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries—the vessels that supply oxygen-containing blood to the heart muscle.
Are you worried about your risk for heart attack and coronary artery disease because of your age, family history or risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, or physical inactivity?
Due to a combination of these risk factors; fats, cholesterol and other substances can deposit in the walls of the blood vessels of your heart and can become calcified over time. These deposits (atherosclerotic plaques) can lead to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) which can include; chest pain or angina, heart failure, heart attacks and death.
We offer the latest in low dose CT technology to obtain a Coronary Artery Calcium Score. This fast, painless, and low-radiation focused CT scan provides a detailed view of the amount of calcium in the arteries of your heart. This can be an important prognostic tool for you and your doctor to help determine your risk for developing coronary artery disease.
No special preparation is necessary in advance of a coronary artery calcium score CT examination. You should continue to take your usual medications, but avoid caffeine and smoking for four hours prior to the exam.
Ask your doctor if a coronary calcium score CT scan is right for you.
Virtual Colonography
CT colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, uses low-dose radiation CT scanning to obtain images of the inside of the colon that otherwise can only be seen with the more invasive colonoscopy.
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF ) recommends a colorectal cancer screening regimen beginning at age 50, as early detection saves lives and improves patient outcomes.
CT colonography has the added benefit of seeing the anatomy beyond the lumen of the colon and into the surrounding organs providing an opportunity to find tumors elsewhere as well as screen for aortic aneurysms, all in one!
Most people who undergo CT colonography do not have polyps, so they can be spared having to undergo a conventional colonoscopy, which is more costly and painful. In addition to being more easily tolerated, CT colonography has a markedly lower risk of perforating the colon than conventional colonoscopy. This can be helpful when colonoscopy cannot be completed because the bowel is narrowed or obstructed for any reason, such as by a large tumor.
CT colonography is also an excellent alternative for patients who wish to avoid sedation or have clinical factors that increase the risk of complications from colonoscopy, such as treatment with a blood thinner or a severe breathing problem. Elderly patients, especially those who are frail or ill, also may tolerate CT colonography better than conventional colonoscopy. Sedation and pain relievers are not needed for CT colonography, so there is no recovery period. Patients even can drive themselves home.
Ask your doctor if a colon cancer screening regimen including virtual CT colonography is right for you.