CT Lung

High-resolution CT of the thorax for lung cancer screening, pulmonary nodule follow-up, interstitial lung disease characterisation, and pleural or mediastinal assessment — performed on a low-dose protocol without contrast.

Thoracic CT at Imagerie Médicale des Deux Rives produces high-resolution cross-sectional images of the lung parenchyma, pleura, mediastinum, and thoracic wall that are far beyond the diagnostic capacity of a conventional chest X-ray. The examination is the definitive modality for detecting and characterising pulmonary nodules, assessing diffuse interstitial lung disease, staging thoracic malignancies, and evaluating pleural effusion, pneumothorax, or mediastinal masses. For lung cancer screening, the protocol follows a low-dose technique (LDCT) that substantially reduces the radiation dose compared with a standard diagnostic thoracic CT, while retaining sufficient spatial resolution to detect sub-centimetre nodules. Low-dose lung CT screening is recommended internationally for current or former heavy smokers aged 50 to 80 with a significant pack-year history who have not yet developed symptoms. The technique identifies stage I lung cancers — the surgically curable stage — in a proportion of high-risk individuals who would otherwise remain undetected until symptoms develop at an advanced stage. Beyond screening, high-resolution CT (HRCT) protocols are used to map the pattern and distribution of interstitial lung disease — including usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and sarcoidosis — where the CT appearance informs both diagnosis and management. Expiratory sequences can demonstrate air trapping in small airways disease. Strasbourg is a practical referral destination for patients from across the Upper Rhine region, including Germany and Switzerland. The Rhéna imaging facility sits on the Strasbourg tram network and is accessible by car from the A35 autoroute. A GP or specialist prescription is required to book; telemedicine prescriptions are accepted. International self-pay patients pay the French CCAM Sector 1 tariff directly, without requiring French health insurance. The full radiologist report is delivered digitally and can be forwarded to a referring respiratory physician on the same day. Patients should arrive wearing comfortable, loose-fitting upper clothing and will be asked to remove metal objects before the examination. The scan itself takes only a few seconds of breath-hold; total appointment time including registration and positioning is approximately 30 minutes.