National Lung Cancer Screening in Korea: Introduction and Imaging Quality Control

• Main Author: Hyae Young Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Korean Society of Radiology 2019-09-01
• Series: 대한영상의학회지
• Subjects: screening; lung cancer; quality control
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2019.80.5.826

Before the implementation of lung cancer screening as a national cancer screening program, the Korean Lung Cancer Screening Project was performed to evaluate its effectiveness and feasibility. A national lung cancer screening program with low-dose CT (LDCT) will begin from the second half of 2019. LDCT should be performed in high-risk subjects, aged 54–74 years, with a smoking history of 30 pack years or more. The use of multi-detector CT with a minimum of 16 channels is recommended, and LDCT scanning should be performed with the maximum CTDIvol radiation dose of 3 mGy in standard-sized subjects. The results of LDCT should be reported using the Lung CT Screening Reporting and Data System by diagnostic radiologists educated in specified programs. Radiologists play an important role in lung cancer screening. Quality control and reporting of LDCT is mandatory, and continued education is necessary. Cessation of smoking is the most important in lung cancer screening.