December 2025

PULMONARY

INTRODUCING THE LUNG HEALTH CENTER AT NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE CANNING THORACIC INSTITUTE

Featuring: Ankit Bharat, MD, and Scott Budinger, MD

In a new study of nearly 1,000 patients treated for lung cancer at Northwestern Medicine, researchers discovered only 35% would have qualified for screening according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening criteria. The two-thirds of patients who would have been excluded were disproportionately women and never-smokers. Currently, USPSTF recommends annual lung cancer screenings for adults ages 50 to 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years — a narrow window that excludes many vulnerable individuals.

In the new study, published in JAMA Network Open, Northwestern Medicine researchers recommend expanding the universal age-based screening to 40 to 85. They estimate this would detect 94% of lung cancers, preventing more than 26,000 deaths annually. The research also demonstrates that such screening would be remarkably cost-effective, with the minimal risks from radiation exposure or biopsies far outweighed by the potential to save lives.

“We moved to universal age-based screening for breast and colon cancer with tremendous success, and we need to move to the same approach for lung cancer,” says Ankit Bharat, MD, chief of thoracic surgery and executive director of the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute. “Chest screening offers something unique – with one low-dose scan, we can assess lungs, heart and bones comprehensively. This baseline scan becomes invaluable for monitoring their health over time.”

Lung cancer remains America’s deadliest cancer, claiming more lives than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined. Nearly 80% of cases aren’t discovered until they’ve reached advanced stages, largely because symptoms rarely appear until it’s too late. The widespread misconception that only smokers develop lung cancer, combined with limited screening access for those without tobacco history, contributes to these devastating statistics.

Providing low-dose CT screening to all eligible adults
In response to these findings, Northwestern Medicine has launched the Lung Health Center at Canning Thoracic Institute to detect lung, heart and bone conditions earlier. The center encourage lung cancer screening and conduct studies to evaluate low-dose CT screening with necessary assessments in patients who might not qualify for lung cancer screening. In addition, scans from all patients will be evaluated for their ability to detect early pulmonary fibrosis, post- COVID lung damage, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and other conditions.  The results of these screenings will be studied and published to inform changes to existing guidelines.  
 
The scan takes less than 10 seconds and doesn't need any intravenous dyes to provide a complete picture of the chest cavity, creating a baseline image patients can keep for life. This approach also addresses critical gaps in preventive care, particularly for the growing number of patients experiencing lasting respiratory effects from COVID-19 and other environmental exposures.

The Lung Health Center also includes a research component where participants contribute de-identified data to help establish new screening guidelines. The center incorporates artificial intelligence to provide rapid, highly sensitive analysis of results, with the goal of delivering comprehensive health insights within seconds of scanning.
The Lung Health Center has already launched at Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital and is expanding systemwide by the end of the year. Anyone over the age of 21 is eligible, with particular emphasis on those over 40 or with risk factors.

Health concerns beyond the lungs
Beyond respiratory conditions, the Lung Health Center screening can detect coronary calcium deposits that indicate cardiovascular risk and can identify early signs of osteoporosis, which is particularly important for women's health. Currently, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of non-cancer deaths nationally, while lung disease, including cancer, represents the top cancer-related mortality for both men and women.
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“We're seeing younger patients with respiratory problems from vaping, environmental exposures, and COVID-19 who would never qualify for traditional screening,” says Scott Budinger, MD, chief of pulmonary and critical care at the Canning Thoracic Institute. “This lung screening approach allows us to catch interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer and other conditions years before they'd typically be diagnosed.”
Ankit Bharat, MD, Chief of Thoracic Surgery in the Department of Surgery, Harold L. and Margaret N. Method Professor of Surgery, Professor of Thoracic Surgery and Pulmonary and Critical Care
Scott Budinger, MD, Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Ernest S. Bazley Professor of Airway Diseases, Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care

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