1. Home
  3. Services
  5. Cancer Care Center
  7. Cancers We Treat
  9. Lung Cancer Care
  11. Screening & Diagnosis

Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening

Beaufort Memorial offers advanced low-dose CT lung cancer screenings at the Keyserling Cancer Center in Beaufort and the New River Cancer Center in Okatie, in addition to the Island Imaging Center on Hilton Head Island, Lowcountry Medical Group and Beaufort Memorial Hospital. These screenings detect lung cancer — the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the U.S. — in its earliest stages, when treatment is the most successful.

Symptoms of lung cancer often don’t appear until the disease is in its advanced stages. Identifying early-stage lung cancer using low-dose CT lung cancer screenings offers more treatment options and better long-term survival rates* for patients who qualify.

Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines

You may be eligible for an annual low-dose CT lung cancer screening if you:

  • Are between ages 50 and 80
  • Are a current or former smoker (regardless of how long ago you quit)
  • Have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer
  • Have a 20-pack-year smoking history - calculate your number of pack-years

Annual screening for eligible patients is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and many private insurance plans. Medicare and other insurers may have additional coverage criteria. Check with your health insurance plan to confirm coverage and possible copays or deductibles. For those without insurance or a high-deductible plan, we offer a reduced price voucher through MDsave.

Low-dose CT screenings require a physician’s referral. If you meet the criteria above, talk to your primary care provider (PCP) about whether this test is right for you. If you need a PCP, see which of Beaufort Memorial PCPs are accepting new patients.

Still have questions? Call 843-522-5015 to learn more.

lung cancer patient whose life was saved by low-dose CT screening

Lung Cancer Survivor, Mike Binkowski

What Is a Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening?

This type of screening uses a CT scanner, which combines X-ray and computer technology, to take detailed pictures of the lungs. These detailed images allow doctors to detect very small areas of abnormal tissue, called lung nodules, while exposing you to less radiation than a traditional X-ray or chest CT.

These scans are:

  • Up to four times more likely to detect potentially cancerous lesions than a traditional chest X-ray
  • The only diagnostic medical test endorsed by both the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American College of Radiology
  • Painless and safe, using up to 90% less radiation than a conventional chest CT scan

Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screenings at Beaufort Memorial

Beaufort Memorial has earned national recognition as a Lung Cancer Screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance. We offer the most effective imaging technology available, plus the highest standards of patient safety and care.

A physician’s referral is required. Discuss whether you need low-dose CT screening with your primary care provider. Need a provider? These Beaufort Memorial PCPs are accepting new patients.

*The 2011 National Lung Screening Trial showed that the screening can reduce the risk of lung cancer-related death by up to 20% when compared with traditional chest X-ray screening.