Chest Imaging
 Chest Imaging remains a major component of diagnostic radiology. Plain chest radiography and chest CT comprise about 20% of all procedures performed in the Radiology Department. The Department continues to perform more than 50,000 chest radiographs and 1,000 chest CT scans annually. Equipment The PACS system has provided efficient new technology which helps us manage this continued growth. All chest CT exams are incorporated into PACS, and film-screen chest radiography has been replaced with digital radiography, also incorporated into PACS. We currently are using a semi-automated computer program to estimate the volume and growth rate of pulmonary nodules. | |
| Research The Chest Imaging Division is strongly involved in clinical research, like the National Lung Screening Trial. During the past several years, Dr. Black has written papers and given invited presentations on the subject of lung cancer screening (see Radiology Faculty Publications). “Lung cancer kills more people than cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and pancreas combined,” said Dr. Black. “Also, lung cancer is the single leading cause of death in smokers between the ages of 55 and 74 years.” The National Lung Screening Trial has enrolled more than 50,000 current and former smokers at over 30 medical facilities around the country, with research to continue through 2009.
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| Teaching The Chest Imaging Division is very active in teaching. Radiology residents are trained to interpret chest radiographs and other chest imaging tests during daily readout sessions, monthly radiology conferences, and monthly pulmonary-radiology conferences. In addition, fourth-year residents are given review sessions in the winter and spring in preparation for their oral board examinations. | |
