What is a low-dose lung screening?
Low-dose CT scan
Low-dose CT scan for lung cancer, also called a spiral CT scan, is available at Baptist Health Imaging Centers in Little Rock , North Little Rock and Fort Smith. The screening uses X-rays to create detailed pictures of your lungs. To have the test, you lie still on a table as it passes through the center of the CT scanner. A CT scan is painless and noninvasive. It does not need any special preparation. You may be asked to hold your breath one or more times during the scan. A CT scan can show some abnormal areas that a chest X-ray might miss. But these areas often turn out not to be cancer. You may still need more invasive tests to be sure. Our radiologists are specially trained to read this type of exam and they will score the images using a coding system (a lot like how mammograms are coded) called Lung RADS. This special code determines when the patient needs to return for their next screening CT. It may be a year, six or three months, or even immediate. We send result and follow up letters so you’ll know when to return for a follow up. Patients that would like to schedule a low dose lung screening at one of the Baptist Health Imaging Centers must meet the following criteria in order to meet the requirements for the program:- The patient must be 50-77 years old if they have Medicare or 55-80 for all other insurances.
- Current smoker or quit within the past 15 years.
- Have a cigarette consumption of 20/pack years (pack a day for 20 years)
- The patient must be asymptomatic.
- They can not have any signs or symptoms of cancer.
How Can I Schedule a Lung Screening?
If you meet the criteria required to have the low-dose CT scan, speak with your physician about whether a lung screening is right for you. He or she can then refer you to a location convenient for you. Baptist Health Imaging Center-Kanis 9101 Kanis Rd., Suite 100 Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 202-4020 Baptist Health Imaging Center-North Little Rock 3600 Springhill Drive North Little Rock, AR 72117 (501) 202-6999 Baptist Health Imaging Center-Fort Smith 1500 Dodson Ave, Ste. 130 Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 709-7404 Baptist Health Imaging Center-Saline County 829 W. Carpenter Benton, AR 72015 (501) 776-2006 opt #5Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy system
Baptist Health is now utilizing a groundbreaking technology aimed at transforming the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. The new tool, the Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy system, aims to improve early detection and provide faster access to life-saving treatments.
Physicians at Baptist Health’s hospitals in Little Rock, North Little Rock and Fort Smith use the Ion technology.
Lung cancer diagnosis often requires biopsies of lung nodules, which can be located in difficult-to-reach areas of the lungs. As a result, many patients face the challenge of “watchful waiting” – undergoing prolonged monitoring with imaging but without definitive diagnosis, leading to increased anxiety and potential delays in treatment.
The Ion system, however, enables precise, minimally invasive biopsies even for small and hard-to-reach nodules, allowing for earlier and more accurate diagnoses.
According to the American Lung Association, Arkansas has one of the highest lung cancer incidence and mortality rates in the nation, ranking among the states with the worst lung cancer survival rates. The introduction of the Ion system is a critical step in addressing this urgent public health issue.

