Frequently asked questions on lung screening

The length of your appointment depends on what it is that you are booked in for. Your initial telephone appointment can take between 20 and 25 minutes. If you are referred on to receive a CT scan, the initial scan can take between 20 and 30 minutes, while follow-up scans take between 10 and 15 minutes. Typically, face-to-face appointments can take between 40 minutes and an hour.

You are welcome to bring somebody with you, but they will need to remain in the waiting room while the scan is being performed. There will be a radiographer and an RDA (radiology department assistant) performing the scan and, if you are anxious, you can ask for a nurse to be present as well.

Because we deal with sensitive and complex information, we can supply you with a certified interpreter for your appointments with us. You can request an interpreter when responding to your initial TLHC invitation. 

Wear something comfortable and without metal in (for example, joggers, leggings, and a t-shirt). Anything between your neck and your pelvis that contains metal would need to be removed. This includes belts, metal buttons, watches, necklaces, piercings, and other jewellery.

We take your height and weight measurements again to ensure that we can accurately calculate your BMI (body mass index). Differences in BMI can affect the risk scores used when calculating the risk of an individual having lung cancer. 

A CT scan uses ionising radiation (x-rays) to produce very detailed images. Everyone receives some ionising radiation every day from radioactivity in the air and the food that we eat. Your age, size and the reason for your scan will help to decide how much radiation is used and our radiology team are specially trained to take the best possible images using the lowest amount of radiation practicable. Our equipment is regularly serviced and checked to make sure that the test is safe and effective.

NHS England have launched the Lung Health Check programme to help detect lung diseases early and improve care for people affected by lung diseases. The aim of the DART study is to see if we can further improve some parts of the Lung Health Check programme.

The project is led by the University of Oxford working with the Lung Health Check centres, NHS hospitals, companies, and charities.

• Your data will be gathered during your lung health check or follow-on appointments.
• Your data will be given a code, keeping it private but enabling an NHS research laboratory to link your health records, scans, biopsies, and resections accurately.
• Your data will be anonymised before it is used by researchers so there is no link back to you and you will never be identified in research or publications.

For more information you can visit www.dartlunghealth.co.uk or email ouh-tr.dart@nhs.net if you do not want your data included in the project.