Lung Cancer Screening Program for Early Detection
Atrium Health aims to find lung cancer early – when it’s most treatable. Our Lung Cancer Screening Program screens patients who are at high risk for lung cancer and connects them to advanced, comprehensive care if cancer is found.
Lung cancer is the number 1 cause of cancer death in the United States, for men and women. Often signs or symptoms don’t develop until lung cancer reaches an advanced stage, when it spreads to other parts of the body – and is very difficult to cure.
This is the only program of its kind in the Charlotte region. And with 23 locations across 8 counties, it’s easy to find a lung cancer screening location that’s close to home or work.
Find out if lung cancer screening is right for you.
Why choose Atrium Health?
You can count on our team for leading expertise. We are:
- A designated Screening Center of Excellence by GO2 for Lung Cancer for providing high-quality low-dose CT screening for early detection of lung cancer and best-practice standards.
- A designated Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology for providing top-quality standards and requirements for lung cancer screening.
- The Charlotte region’s only health system offering advanced lung cancer screening capabilities through our comprehensive program.
- Home to Atrium Health Levine Cancer, the region’s top-rated cancer program by U.S. News & World Report.
Advanced Lung Programs at Atrium Health
At Atrium Health, we aim to detect lung cancer early. Learn more about lung cancer screening and the incidental lung nodule programs.
About lung cancer screening
What is lung screening?
Lung cancer screening is quick and painless. We use a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan to take a detailed 3D picture of your lungs, using a small amount of radiation (up to 90% less than a conventional CT scan). The lung CT scan may show normal, healthy lung tissue. Or it may show a small, round growth (nodule) or other findings like emphysema (a lung condition that causes shortness of breath). Any abnormal findings will be carefully reviewed by our expert team and a diagnosis and treatment plan will follow when needed.
What are the benefits of lung screening?
The main benefit of screening is that it reduces the risk of dying from lung cancer. Screenings can find lung cancer early, before any signs or symptoms appear – and when it's more likely to be treatable.
Lung cancer screening guidelines
Experts recommend yearly screenings for people with a high risk of lung cancer. Your risk for lung cancer depends on your age and smoking history.
- Are 50 to 80 years old
- Smoked cigarettes in the last 15 years
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Have a 20 pack year smoking history, for example:
- 1 pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or more
- 2 packs of cigarettes per day for 10 years or more
- 1/2 pack per day for 40 years or more
If you’re eligible and decide to be screened for lung cancer, it’s important to be screened once a year, every year, until you’re no longer considered to be at high risk of developing lung cancer. Still not sure if you're eligible? Take a quiz to find out.
Learn more and schedule your pre-screening appointment.
Patient care – what to expect
We offer the latest approaches in screening, diagnosing and treating lung cancer. Here’s what you can expect from our team of specialists:
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Pre-screening appointment
You’ll have a shared decision-making conversation with your provider to go over your smoking history, eligibility for screening, the benefits and risks of low-dose CT scans and more. After this appointment, your lung screening will be scheduled.
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During your screening appointment
Similar to a colonoscopy or mammogram screening, you’ll show up for your scheduled appointment at one of our radiology facilities, get checked in, receive the low-dose CT scan and then be on your way. The appointment should only take about 20 minutes from start to finish.
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Getting your results
Your screening results will be posted to your MyAtriumHealth account. Your provider may share your results with you over the phone as well. Don't have a MyAtriumHealth account? Sign up now.
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Next steps if a lung nodule is detected
When we see a lung nodule or anything that looks abnormal on an imaging scan, we’ll investigate to determine next steps, which may include:
- Monitoring with follow-up low-dose CT scans
- Reviewing the lung nodule with our multidisciplinary team of experts to guide next steps
- Determining if the nodule is cancerous using advanced diagnostic, minimally invasive techniques, including the Charlotte region’s only robot-assisted bronchoscopy tool
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If lung cancer treatment is needed
Whether caught in the early stages or late, we’ll connect you to the highest-quality lung cancer treatment at Atrium Health Levine Cancer, the Greater Charlotte region's top-rated cancer care provider. Levine Cancer is fueled by the research and innovation of our National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. Depending on your case, you may undergo minimally invasive thoracic surgery to have a lung nodule removed, which is the most common treatment (and gold standard) for early-stage lung cancer. Or you may receive nonsurgical treatment, like targeted radiation therapy.
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Personalized care
To develop the very best care plan for you, we tap into the combined expertise of a range of specialists, which may include radiologists, pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, screening navigators, oncologists and radiation oncologists. Working as one team, we come up with the most effective plan for your unique case. We also take the time to listen to your thoughts and concerns and make sure you're involved in decisions about your care.
Insurance coverage
Most major insurance plans and Medicare do cover lung screening, though some have different requirements for screenings to be covered. For instance, some plans like Medicare may only cover screening for ages 50 to 77. To understand cost and coverage, contact your insurance provider. You may also contact the Atrium Health pricing line at 704-355-0900. Mention “Low Dose CT - Code 71271.”
Help to quit smoking
If you’re still smoking and are ready to quit, our tobacco cessation program can help. We can prescribe medication to manage your urges, identify your smoking triggers and help you come up with a plan to quit. Learn more or call us at 844-375-9355.
Lung cancer screening locations
With 23 locations across the Greater Charlotte region, we make it easy to find lung cancer screening near you. Call 704-468-5864 (LUNG) to schedule at one of the locations below.
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Mecklenburg County
- Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
- Atrium Health Mercy
- Atrium Health Pineville
- Atrium Health University City
- Atrium Health Steele Creek Emergency Department, a facility of Atrium Health Pineville
- Atrium Health Imaging Center, a facility of Carolinas Medical Center
- Carolinas Imaging Services Ballantyne
- Carolinas Imaging Services Huntersville
- Carolinas Imaging Services Matthews
- Carolinas Imaging Services SouthPark
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Anson County
- Atrium Health Anson
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Cabarrus County
- Atrium Health Cabarrus
- Atrium Health Cabarrus Imaging
- Atrium Health Imaging Kannapolis
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Cleveland County
- Atrium Health Cleveland
- Atrium Health Kings Mountain
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Lincoln County
- Atrium Health Lincoln
- Carolinas Imaging Services Denver
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Stanly County
- Atrium Health Stanly
- Atrium Health Imaging Locust
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Union County
- Atrium Health Union
- Atrium Health Waxhaw
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York County
- Carolinas Imaging Services Rock Hill
A low-dose CT scan uses radiation to take pictures of your lungs. Radiation can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer. But the amount of radiation you receive during a low-dose CT scan is very small, about half the amount you’re exposed to each year doing everyday activities. You can talk to your provider about the risks versus the benefits during your pre-screening appointment.
You are eligible for lung screening if you meet specific criteria, including age and smoking status. Learn more and take our eligibility quiz.
A lung nodule is a small, round abnormal growth of tissue that remains in the lung following an infection, like pneumonia or bronchitis, or for some other reason.
Fortunately, most lung nodules – well over 90% – are noncancerous.
A lung nodule looks like a small dot on the CT scan that is usually surrounded by normal lung tissue.
Lung cancer screening with a LDCT scan is quick and painless. You’ll lay down on a table that slides in and out of the scanner. The scan only takes a few minutes, and your whole screening appointment should take about 20 minutes total.
If you’re eligible and decide to be screened for lung cancer, it’s important to be screened once a year, every year, until you’re no longer considered to be at high risk of developing lung cancer. If a nodule is found on your screening, you may be asked to come back sooner than one year.
Lung screening is important for smokers and former smokers because smoking is the number 1 risk factor for lung cancer. The more years you smoke and the more cigarettes smoked each day, the more your risk of developing lung cancer goes up. Quitting smoking at any age can lower your risk of lung cancer.
Being at high risk for lung cancer doesn’t mean you will definitely get it. But you may need regular screening exams to make sure that if you do develop lung cancer, your doctor can find and treat it early.
A pack-year is used to describe how many cigarettes you have smoked in your lifetime, with a pack equal to 20 cigarettes. You have a 20 pack-year smoking history if you have smoked:
- 1 pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years or more
- 2 packs of cigarettes per day for 10 years or more
- 1/2 pack per day for 40 years or more
Call 704-468-5864 (LUNG) to schedule a pre-screening appointment at one of our convenient locations.