CT Lung Screening

Dedicated low-dose CT lung nodule detection using the Siemens LungCARE programme. Measures nodule volume, all three axes, density histograms, and tracks changes over time. Siemens Training Centre with 300,000+ investigations since 1999.

Lung CT screening at Neuromed Timisoara uses the Siemens LungCARE dedicated acquisition and analysis programme on the SOMATOM Definition Edge 128 scanner. LungCARE is a purpose-built software workflow for the detection and follow-up of pulmonary nodules, the small, often incidentally discovered densities in the lung parenchyma that must be characterised and tracked to determine whether they represent early-stage malignancy, infection, an inflammatory reaction, or a benign process such as a hamartoma. The examination is a low-dose CT scan of the thorax, acquired without contrast agent and without breath-hold difficulty thanks to the scanner's fast 0.33-second rotation time. The entire lung volume is captured in a single, very short acquisition. The LungCARE software then automatically analyses the resulting volumetric dataset to measure each detected nodule on three axes (length, width, and height), calculate its volume, record its mean CT density in Hounsfield units, and generate a density histogram that reflects the composition of the nodule (solid, part-solid, or ground-glass). This multi-parameter characterisation is more reproducible and more precise than manual measurement of a single diameter on a 2D image. Follow-up studies in the LungCARE programme allow direct volumetric comparison between time points — a significant advantage over sequential diameter-only measurements, because volume increases exponentially even when diameter changes are within measurement error. Volume doubling time is the key metric for distinguishing slow-growing benign nodules from rapidly progressing malignant lesions; LungCARE computes this automatically when a prior dataset is available. Neuromed's clinical page documents both the LungCARE nodule programme and virtual bronchoscopy — a complementary technique that generates a fly-through view of the bronchial tree from the CT data to locate endobronchial lesions, polyps, and stenoses for pre-bronchoscopy planning. Together, these tools constitute a comprehensive low-dose lung evaluation. The examination is well-suited to screening in populations at elevated lung cancer risk: current and former smokers aged 50–80 with a significant pack-year history, patients with occupational dust or asbestos exposure, and individuals with a family history of lung cancer. For patients with known nodules identified on a previous chest X-ray or CT performed elsewhere, Neuromed can provide baseline volumetric measurement and periodic follow-up. No contrast injection or special preparation is required. Appointment by telephone on +40 256 292 637.