LOW DOSE LUNG CANCER SCREENING CT C-
(last updated 07/03/2025, last reviewed 01/14/2026)
This is a limited, low dose CT chest protocol
SERIES
– AX 1 mm lung window
– AX 1 mm soft tissue window
– AX, COR, SAG 10mm MIPs lung
– COR, SAG 3mm soft tissue
– COR, SAG 2mm lung
POSTIONING: Supine, helical
TUBE VOLTAGE: 100 to 140 kV for standard size patient
TUBE CURRENT: Auto mA with limit
COLLIMATION: 0.625mm
SLICE THICKNESS: 1mm
PITCH: 0.7 to 1.5
KERNAL: soft tissue and lung algorithm
FOV: optimize per patient, ~1cm beyond ribs
COVERAGE: apices -> bases (entire lungs)
ACQUISITION: craniocaudal
CONTRAST: none
RESPIRATION: inspiration (breath hold)
POST PROCESSING: axial, coronal, sagittal slab MIPs lung windows. Cor, Sag soft tissue and lung windows.
Radiation dose </=3mGy for standard size patient (CTDIvol). KVP should be set in combo with mAs to meet CTDIvol specs.
ACR-STR Practice Parameter LDCT
AAPM Lung cancer screening CT protocol
Lung Cancer Screening CT Protocols Version 6.0 09 November 2023
Lung-RADS 2022
Recommended for individuals
- Age 50 – 80 years
- At least 15 pack-year smoking history (packs per day x years smoked)
- Asymptomatic
- Current smoker or former smoker