To be eligible for the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP), you need to: 

• be aged between 50 and 70 years 
• show no signs or symptoms of lung cancer 
• have a history of at least 30 pack-years of cigarette smoking  
• be still smoking or have quit in the past 10 years.  

If eligible, you will need to see your GP as a first step and obtain an imaging request for a low dose CT scan (CAT scan) of your chest. If you do not know how many ‘pack-years’ of smoking you have, your GP can help work this out.  

How do I access lung screening at I-MED? 

As the largest network of radiology clinics in Australia, we offer a comprehensive range of scanning services at a clinic near you, including low dose CT for lung screening. 

• Our expert lung imaging teams provide high quality, low dose CT scans and report back to your doctor within 3 working days.
• There are no costs associated with your lung screening scan at I-MED, we provide a free service as part of the government’s bulk billed screening program.
• Our staff are trained to answer all your questions about the process and support you every step of the way, from booking online to visiting the clinic for your lung scan through to receiving your results for discussion with your doctor.
• You can access our streamlined online booking system, available 24/7, and find the best time and location for your low-dose lung screening.

What does the lung screening scan involve?

The lung screening scan is a low dose CT scan which takes around 15 minutes to complete from start to finish, although the scanning process itself is much shorter at [specify scanning time]. There is no preparation necessary and our radiographer teams will assist to you to lie on the CT scanner bed while chest images are taken. After your scan, our radiologists will examine your images and write up a report, the report is added to the National Cancer Screening Register and sent to your referring doctor.