Initial Results from Mobile Low‐Dose Computerized Tomographic Lung Cancer Screening Unit: Improved Outcomes for Underserved Populations

摘要

The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) demonstrated that screening high‐risk patients with low‐dose computed tomography (CT) of the chest reduces lung cancer mortality compared with screening with chest x‐ray. Uninsured and Medicaid patients usually lack access to this hospital‐based screening test because of geographic and socioeconomic factors. We hypothesized that a mobile screening unit would improve access and confer the benefits demonstrated by the NLST to this underserved group, which is most at risk of lung cancer deaths.