FDA Clears GE Healthcare for Low Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening Option

GE Healthcare has become the first company to receive FDA clearance for a low dose computed tomography lung cancer screening option.

Physicians can use qualified GE Healthcare CT scanners to deliver low doses, short scan times and sharp images for the detection of small lung nodules, which are critical for identifying lung cancer at its earliest stage.

The landmark National Lung Screening Trial, which was conducted with more than 53,000 high-risk participants at 33 medical institutions, found that the use of low dose CT screening reduced the mortality rate from lung cancer by 20 percent compared to use of a chest X-ray. The trial also found that the use of low dose CT screening resulted in a 6.7 percent reduction in the rate of death from any cause.

The use of low dose CT lung cancer screening for high-risk individuals has been recommended by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. — Michael Cipriano