Low-dose CT lung screening (LDCT)
DENiedrigdosis-CT zur Lungenkrebs-Früherkennung (LDCT)
Annual low-dose chest CT (LDCT) screens current and former heavy smokers for early-stage lung cancer, at an effective dose of roughly 1 to 2 mSv. The landmark US National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) showed a 20% relative cut in lung-cancer deaths, versus chest X-ray. The Dutch-Belgian NELSON trial confirmed a 24% cut in men at 10 years. The 2021 USPSTF recommendation (Grade B) covers adults aged 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year history, who currently smoke or quit within 15 years. In Germany, the Bundesumweltministerium issued the Lungenkrebs-Früherkennungs-Verordnung in July 2024. The G-BA passed the matching Richtlinie in June 2025. And roll-out as a statutory health-insurance benefit is expected from April 2026, for ages 50 to 75 who have smoked at least 25 years with 15 or more pack-years, and who currently smoke or quit within the past 10 years. The known harms include false positives, incidentalomas, and overdiagnosis. Structured 'Lung-RADS' reporting limits unnecessary follow-up work for you.
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Sources
- National Lung Screening Trial Research Team, Aberle DR, Adams AM, et al. (2011). Reduced Lung-Cancer Mortality with Low-Dose Computed Tomographic Screening. New England Journal of Medicinedoi:10.1056/NEJMoa1102873
- de Koning HJ, van der Aalst CM, de Jong PA, et al. (2020). Reduced Lung-Cancer Mortality with Volume CT Screening in a Randomized Trial. New England Journal of Medicinedoi:10.1056/NEJMoa1911793
- Krist AH, Davidson KW, Mangione CM, et al. (2021). Screening for Lung Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMAdoi:10.1001/jama.2021.1117
- Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss (G-BA). (2025). Richtlinie zur Früherkennung von Lungenkrebs mittels Niedrigdosis-CT (Lungenkrebs-Früherkennungs-Richtlinie)