Our body’s internal organs play a vital role in our health. By extension, they’re also the reason why we live. If we miss an internal organ, the body might shut down, causing death. For this reason, people are encouraged to get themselves checked routinely to see how their internal organs are doing.
Among the many internal organs in the body, the lungs are at the forefront of bodily functions because they make it possible for the body to breathe. Lung condition is evaluated through lung health checks, which physicians perform. These lung health checks can indeed be done as frequently as one wants; however, they should be done regularly, especially if you’re a smoker.
Not many people know how lung health checks are done, so, let’s get into the details.
How Lung Health Checks Work
When you have a lung health check, you will be required to answer some medical questions to determine whether your lungs are healthy. These questions may concern your smoking habits and how often you smoke.
If your body is unhealthy, the physician might prescribe some drugs to help you get better. Some of the medications your physician might prescribe are antibiotic, antifungal, or antiviral. These drugs can cure infections in the lungs, such as viruses that may be floating.
You will also be subject to a lung test, and although it might only take a few minutes, it is crucial to your overall health. A lung test is most helpful in detecting the presence of any disease or infection in the lungs. This can help get you a proper diagnosis if you have one.
There are three possible results for this:
No Problems Found
If everything is good, nothing will be found. The good news is that you don’t have any disease or infection, and your general physician will receive word of the appointment.
Referral to Your General Physician
If the physician finds something, they will refer you to your general physician. This is good because you can find the proper medication or treatment needed to cure your lungs.
Offer of a Lung Cancer Screening Scan
If the physician finds something serious in your lungs, they might recommend you to have a lung cancer screening scan. This is especially true if you’re a smoker.
After the scan, the physician may suggest that you undergo a bronchoscopy. This is a good thing because you can get a diagnosis of your condition and offer a treatment plan that will help you get better.
What to Expect During a Lung Cancer Screening
A lung cancer screening involves using a device called the CT scanner to detect tumors in the lungs.
The patient reclines on a flatbed during a CT scan that slowly moves through the CT machine. It is important to lie very still to reduce the motion artifact. To build a three-dimensional picture of the tissues or organs under examination, the machine can collect up to several hundred X-ray projections (aka slices) from different angles from other vantage points.
The images are acquired with a scan of the thorax–the chest area–which is the most common place to find lung cancer.
The possible results are as follows:
No Abnormalities Found
The patient might be told that the CT scan is normal. This is good news because the patient doesn’t have any abnormal growth in the area.
Further Scan Needed
If the machine detects something that can’t be confirmed, the patient might be told that a further scan is required. The patient has to undergo another scan to confirm the result.
Abnormal Result
If the CT scan shows a minor tumor or something too big to be considered a benign growth, the patient might be told that they have an abnormal result. The patient will likely undergo a biopsy to determine whether it’s a benign growth or a malignancy.
If the result is positive, the patient will have to endure a treatment plan to help cure the disease.
Incidental Finding
If the cancer is detected during a CT scan for something else, it’s called an incidental finding. For example, the patient might have a CT scan for a headache, and the physician might find a lung tumor.
The patient won’t need a biopsy at this time; instead, the physician will tell the patient that they have cancer in the lungs.
What to Do After Your Lung Health Check
If you have a lung health check and receive a positive result, you should see your general physician to set up a proper treatment plan. Depending on the type of cancer, you might need to go through several treatment options before the cancer is entirely out of your system.
In most cases, this won’t damage your overall health. The good news is that once the cancer is out of your system, you can go back to a normal life. On the other hand, if you have lung cancer and you let it go, it can spread to other parts of the body, making things worse.
Understanding Lung Health Checks and You
A lung health check is a great way to check how the lungs are doing. Nobody knows for sure whether a lung check will be needed in the future, so it’s best to get one when possible. This way, you can be sure whether your lungs are developing any problems or not.
If you’re looking for a place to get lung scans, Craft Body Scan can help you! We provide comprehensive health testing solutions to ensure that you know how your body’s condition, all for affordable prices.
Reach out today to schedule an appointment, or click the link below to get started.
