What is it about?
In early stage lung cancer, the chance to have brain metastasis without symptoms is small. Nevertheless, many physicians are trained to ask for CT scans (even in the absence of symptoms suggesitve for metastasis to the brain). The 'fear' to miss something seems to overrule the objective indication to do a brain scan.
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Why is it important?
Doctors order far to many CT scans, which is costly, which can delay treatment and causes a psychological burden to the patient. Scans should be ordered only when really indicated.
Perspectives
Ordering a CT scan of the brain in selected patients with lung cancer might lead to a more cost-effective care of the lung cancer patient.
Kurt Tournoy
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwziekenhuis Aalst - Belgium
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Lung cancer staging: imagine fewer images, European Respiratory Journal, August 2018, European Respiratory Society (ERS),
DOI: 10.1183/13993003.01093-2018.
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