THE ROLE OF LOW-DOSE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN THE EARLY DETECTION OF LUNG CANCER IN HIGH-RISK PATIENTS

Аннотация

This scientific article analyzes the diagnostic potential and clinical significance of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in the early detection of lung cancer among high-risk patients. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with most cases diagnosed at advanced stages. Therefore, early diagnosis of lung cancer represents a critical issue in modern healthcare.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the capabilities of LDCT in detecting early-stage lung cancer among individuals belonging to high-risk groups — including long-term smokers, persons over 50 years of age, and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study involved 50 patients whose LDCT findings were compared with conventional chest radiography results. According to the obtained data, LDCT detected small pulmonary nodules (≤10 mm) in 28% of cases and early- stage malignant tumors in 8% of cases, demonstrating significantly higher sensitivity compared to standard radiographic methods.
The results confirm that LDCT is a highly accurate, relatively safe, and cost-effective method suitable for screening and early diagnosis of lung cancer. In addition, the article highlights international experience,  recent  scientific  advances,  and  the  prospects  of  integrating  artificial  intelligence technologies in optimizing lung cancer screening and diagnostics.