Preliminary results of a new study indicate that CT screening of lung cancer may yield misleading results and further studies need to be conducted before this kind of screening is widely recommended, says Stephen Swensen, MD, and lead author of the study.
Dr. Swensen, professor and Chair of Radiology at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, reported in this month’s issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology, a large number (98 percent) of false positive results in CT screening for lung cancer.
Dr. Swensen warns that patients must be informed of the potential risks associated with the fallout of these false positive findings. Risks include monetary costs of follow up testing, surgical complications and the patient’s unnecessary worry and distress. Regarding CT screening, Dr. Swensen says, “The bottom line is that we (as doctors) must be sure that we are not doing more harm than good.”
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