Alex Balekian

University of Southern California

Assistant Professor

NLST (Learn more about this study)

NLST-76

Jun 6, 2014

Patient Factors Associated with A Positive Finding on First CT Screening Exam

In clinical practice, practitioners often encounter patients who ask whether CT screening is appropriate for them. Based on the most recent ACCP guidelines, patients at high-risk should have CT screening offered, and not necessarily performed. Although we know that 40% of patients will have positive scans, with ultimately 96% of them being false positives, arming practitioners with the knowledge of a patient's baseline risk of having a positive scan might be helpful in counseling patients whether to undergo CT screening in the first place.

1) To determine patient-specific factors that predict a positive screen on first CT screening exam

2) To determine patient-specific factors that predict a positive scan within two years given a normal first screening exam