CT Lung Screening

Low-dose CT chest scan for early detection of lung cancer in individuals with a significant smoking history or occupational lung carcinogen exposure. No contrast injection. Zero CT supplement under Belgian law; statutory co-payment only. Medical prescription required by a referring physician.

Low-dose CT lung screening uses a brief breath-hold CT acquisition of the chest to detect pulmonary nodules — the early radiological sign of lung cancer — at a stage when treatment carries the highest survival benefit. The technique applies a substantially reduced radiation dose compared to standard diagnostic chest CT, achieving dose levels of approximately 1 to 2 mSv per scan, comparable to a few months of natural background radiation, and requires no intravenous contrast. The clinical evidence base is anchored in the NLST (National Lung Screening Trial) and the European NELSON trial, both of which demonstrated significant reductions in lung cancer mortality in high-risk individuals screened with annual low-dose CT compared to controls. The NELSON trial reported a 26% reduction in lung cancer mortality in men and up to 39% in women after ten years of follow-up. These results led to endorsement of LDCT screening by major international oncology and pulmonology societies and form the basis for emerging national screening programmes across Europe. Primary eligibility focuses on current or former heavy smokers: individuals aged 50 to 75 who have smoked at least one pack per day for 20 years (or equivalent) and who do not have symptoms suggesting already-advanced lung disease. Occupational exposure to asbestos, silica, radon, or diesel fumes at sufficient cumulative dose also increases lung cancer risk and may justify screening after consultation with a physician. The examination requires a referring physician's prescription both because Belgian radiation protection law mandates physician justification for any ionising radiation and because appropriate interpretation of findings requires clinical context. At Radiology Antwerpen, the chest CT images are reviewed by specialist radiologists who assess nodule number, size, morphology, and location following established lung-RADS or equivalent reporting frameworks. The written report provides nodule findings with a risk classification and recommended follow-up interval — typically annual re-imaging for low-risk findings, or shorter-interval follow-up CT or PET-CT for higher-risk nodules. Any finding warranting urgent attention is flagged and communicated to the referring physician. Incidental findings in mediastinal structures, the thoracic aorta, cardiac silhouette, and visible upper abdominal organs are also described. Results are delivered digitally to patient and referring physician via a personal access code.