Categories
· Health/Science
· Lung Cancer
Organizations
· Lung Cancer
|
Jump to full article: The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, 2002-06-24
Author: TARA PARKER-POPE
Intro: But when deciding whether to have a body scan, remember this: The medical establishment has a vested interest in keeping patients out of scanning centers. . . "The doctor wants to have that control," says Eric Schnipper, a 33-year-old radiologist planning to open a Manhattan scanning center in September. "It's really snobbish and elitist to think patients can't make up their own minds about that." . .
LUNG SCAN ($350-$450): The test, called a spiral CT scan, is heavily advertised to the nation's 80 million smokers and former smokers worried about lung cancer. . .
A Mayo Clinic study found abnormalities on more than 50% of the scans, but only 1% were cancer. The reason for the high incidence of red flags: The Rochester, Minn., clinic is in the Midwest, where a common fungal infection leaves harmless nodules on the lung.
Despite the negatives, the scans are the best modern medicine has to offer to smokers and former smokers worried about lung cancer.
Jump to full article » |