Melissa Liverpool, RN
As you age, you may pay closer attention to preventive healthcare scans, like colonoscopies or mammograms. But there is a newer screening available that you may not be aware of— lung screenings.
The Temple Healthy Chest Initiative (THCI), a program developed by the Temple Lung Center, is working to educate and engage the greater Philadelphia community about these important screenings. The goal of THCI is to increase screening rates for all eligible patients in order to catch potential disease earlier, when treatment options may be more effective.
Lung screenings are a simple ten-minute scan of the chest that can identify signs of a wide range of chest conditions, from sleep apnea to lung cancer, and don’t require any preparation. They are available at all Temple University Hospital campuses, including the Temple Lung Center at the Jeanes Campus and Fox Chase Cancer Center.
“Low-dose CT scans are a game changer in detecting lung cancer and other significant health conditions before symptoms even appear,” explains Melissa Liverpool, RN, a nurse navigator with the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative. “The earlier we catch these issues, the better the outcomes and the more treatment options we have.”
The Temple Healthy Chest Initiative primarily targets eligible individuals who are 50-80 years old and are current smokers or have quit within the past 15 years. To be eligible for the program, patients should have a smoking history equivalent to one pack a day for 20 years.
While lung screening is important to detecting lung cancer early and improving survival rates of this disease, these scans can also detect other chest conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, heart disease, osteoporosis, sleep apnea, diabetes, and even other cancers.
“A low-dose CT scan provides a snapshot of a patient’s chest, allowing us to see everything from the lungs to the coronary arteries,” Liverpool says. “This comprehensive view helps us identify a wide range of potential issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.”
Lung screenings typically take less than ten minutes to complete and there is no prep work required, and patients can return home immediately afterward. Results are then communicated by a dedicated nurse navigator, who follows up within a few days to explain the findings and coordinate any necessary follow up care.
“Patients no longer have to wait in person for their results. Our nurse navigators take the time to call each patient, discuss their results, and connect them with the appropriate next steps,” says Liverpool. This personalized approach also includes access to Temple’s smoking cessation programs, and other valuable resources.
Because these screenings are relatively new, research shows that only about 6% of eligible smokers and former smokers include them in their preventive healthcare planning.
“We want lung health screening to become as routine as mammograms or cervical cancer screenings,” says Liverpool.
In addition to low-dose CT scans, the Temple Lung Center integrates lung function tests, known as spirometry, to measure lung capacity and see how well a patient’s lungs are working.
“There’s no other way to truly understand what’s happening inside your lungs without these tests,” notes Liverpool. “By combining CT scans and spirometry, we provide a thorough, streamlined lung health assessment in just one visit.”
As awareness grows and participation in the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative increases, the hope is that more individuals will take proactive steps to monitor and maintain their lung health. By offering these screenings with personalized support, the Temple Healthy Chest Initiative is leading change to reduce lung-disease related deaths.
Melissa Liverpool, RN
“Early detection leads to better treatment options and outcomes,” Liverpool says. “Our goal is to make comprehensive lung screening accessible, efficient, and routine for everyone at risk.”
