Korean J Radiol.  2018 Aug;19(4):803-808. 10.3348/kjr.2018.19.4.803.

Radiological Report of Pilot Study for the Korean Lung Cancer Screening (K-LUCAS) Project: Feasibility of Implementing Lung Imaging Reporting and Data System

• Lee JW
• Kim HY
• Goo JM
• Kim EY
• Lee SJ
• Kim TJ
• Kim Y
• Lim J

• KMID: 2413710
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2018.19.4.803

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To report the radiological results of a pilot study for the Korean Lung Cancer Screening project conducted to evaluate the feasibility of lung cancer screening using low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCT) in Korea.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The National Cancer Center and three regional cancer centers participated in this study. Asymptomatic current or ex-smokers aged 55-74 years with a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years who had used tobacco within the last 15 years were considered eligible. In total, 256 participants underwent LDCT November 2016 through March 2017. The American College of Radiology Lung Imaging Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS) was used to categorize the LDCT findings.
RESULTS
In total, 57%, 35.5%, 3.9%, and 3.5% participants belonged to Lung-RADS categories 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Accordingly, 7.4% participants exhibited positive findings (category 3 or 4). Lung cancer was diagnosed in one participant (stage IA, small cell lung cancer). Other LDCT findings included pulmonary emphysema (32.8%), coronary artery calcification (30.9%), old pulmonary tuberculosis (11.7%), bronchiectasis (12.9%), interstitial lung disease with a usual interstitial pneumonia pattern (1.2%), and pleural effusion (0.8%).
CONCLUSION
Even though the size of our study population was small, the positive rate of 7.4% was like or lower than those in other lung cancer screening studies. Early lung cancer was detected using LDCT screening in one participant. Lung-RADS may be applicable to participants in Korea, where pulmonary tuberculosis is endemic.

Keyword

Lung cancer; Screening; Low dose; Computed tomography; Lung-RADS

MeSH Terms

Bronchiectasis
Coronary Vessels
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Information Systems*
Korea
Lung Diseases, Interstitial
Lung Neoplasms*
Lung*
Mass Screening*
Pilot Projects*
Pleural Effusion
Pulmonary Emphysema
Smoke
Smoking
Thorax
Tobacco
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
Smoke

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