Wednesday, February 26, 2003

CT scans available Friday

Low-cost mobile CT scans for early signs of cancer and coronary disease will be available at Line Creek Baptist Church Friday, Feb. 28, from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

CATscan 2000, the nation's largest mobile CT screening service, has offered preventive scans for coronary artery calcification, lung disease and abdominal/pelvic disease since December of 1999.

The CT or CAT scans are high-speed X-rays that acquire a complete series of images in thin slices. The images are reconstructed on a computer system that allows the radiologist to evaluate soft tissue, lung and bone, as well as accurately measure the size and density of any abnormalities detected. The heart scan is useful in identifying deposits of calcium that form in areas of sticky plaque in the coronary arteries. The chest scan looks for early cancer and emphysema. The abdomen/pelvis scan evaluates for large tumors and masses, some cysts, large gallstones, kidney stones and aortic aneurysms.

The CT scans offered on the CATscan 2000 medical coach take approximately 15 minutes and do not require the complete removal of clothing. The studies are performed by advanced, registered CT technologists and read by board certified diagnostic radiologists. A confidential report and selected CT images are sent directly to the individual and to his or her doctor. Severe abnormal findings are discussed personally with the examinee by the radiologist.

Follow-up calls are made by a board certified physician to ensure that the individual did meet with his or her personal doctor and to confirm the radiologist's findings. According to patient records through November of 2002, severe abnormal findings in the CT abdomen scans were confirmed 95 percent of the time. Severe findings in the lung were confirmed in 94 percent of cases, and a severe heart scan report identified significant coronary artery disease requiring angioplasty, bypass surgery or other treatment in three out of four people.

Whether there is risk from radiation with screening CT, in the opinion of Dr. William Maxfield, radiation oncologist and chief of radiology of CATscan 2000, "has been significantly clarified in the Nov. 2000 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. Dr. Bernard Cohen published data to suggest that the current method of estimating low-level radiation effect grossly overestimates the risk of future cancer. In my opinion and the opinion of Dr. Cohen, the risk of cancer from diagnostic radiography may well be zero."

The potential of CT scans as a powerful weapon against heart disease and cancer is vigorously debated around the nation. Some institutions will not endorse the use of a preventive CT scan until it is proven that finding early disease is both cost-effective and results in a longer life for the patient.

"My experience in cancer management and preventive medicine is that early diagnosis is very cost-effective," said Dr. Maxfield. "Treatment of an early cancer costs four to ten minutes less than treatment of advanced cancer. Long-term survival and quality of life are much better when the intent of treatment is for the cure of an early stage cancer."

The importance of early detection in cancer treatment was emphasized as far back as 1981 in an article entitled "If You Look For Early Cancer, You Will Find It," written by Daniel G. Miller, M.D. Dr. Miller published data showing that for the 12 most common types of cancer detection at an early stage, before the onset of symptoms, gave a significant improvement in 20-year survival rates.

"In my opinion," Dr. Maxfield said, "data from CT screening will reconfirm the findings of Dr. Miller. Our mobile service has detected a large number of kidney cancers, early lung cancers, early esophageal, breast, prostate and ovarian cancers. My 30-plus years of practice as a radiation oncologist tell me that we have converted these patients from future cancer victims to cancer victors through early diagnosis and appropriate treatment."

The CATscan 2000 mobile CT scanner will be at Line Creek Baptist Church, 2711 Ga. Highway 54 in Peachtree City, this Friday. The fee is $199 for a heart scan, $209 for a chest scan and $209 for an abdomen/pelvis scan. If all three CT scans are taken together, there is a $30 discount applied for a total fee of $587. A comparable CT diagnostic study, if performed in a hospital setting, would cost between $900 and $1,500. Call 1-877-828-7475 to schedule an appointment or receive further information.