Lung Cancer Screening

CHI St. Alexius Health offers cancer screenings for patients who have had an abnormal chest scan or suspicious lesion, and for those who have been previously diagnosed with lung cancer and require routine observation. The screening is performed using low dose computed tomography (LDCT), which uses a small dose of radiation to produce numerous X-ray like pictures to create a high-definition image of the lung. This procedure is simple and non-invasive.

Lung Screening Eligibility

• Must be between the ages of 50 - 80
• Must be a current or former heavy smoker (20 pack-year history of smoking).
• Must have commercial insurance, Medicare or a Medicaid Expansion plan
• No chest CT scan in the last 12 months
• No change in cough, shortness of breath or blood stained mucus

If you are at high risk, please call your primary care doctor for a referral.

Minimally Invasive Lung Biopsy

At CHI St. Alexius Health, robot-assisted navigational bronchoscopy is offered when a biopsy is needed after the screening. This minimally invasive procedure makes it possible to obtain a biopsy from all parts of the lung - even reaching the far outer lung. Using an ultra-thin catheter, vision probe and shape-sensing technology, this special system allows for precise navigation and placement of the biopsy needle for collecting a tissue sample.

Previously, lung cancer wasn't often detectable until stage 3 or 4. With this new technology, obtaining tissue samples of a lung nodule is easier, making it more likely to diagnose lung cancer at an earlier stage, offering the best chance for recovery.

Patients can now receive a definitive diagnosis after one procedure (instead of two or more) as the physician can perform biopsy and staging at the same time. This also greatly reduces the time from biopsy to treatment.