The Thoracic Imaging section at Penn Medicine uses the most advanced technology to provide a full array of chest-related imaging services. This technology provides the most accurate diagnostic and treatment information to physicians and patients.
Services include:
- Computed radiographs (digital chest x-rays)
- Computed tomography (CT) scans
- Chest biopsies, including lung biopsies
- Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the chest
A Commitment to Quality
A high-volume and growing clinical service at Penn, thoracic imaging clinicians perform over 100,000 digital chest images and more than 25,000 chest CT scans annually. Each year, our radiologists also perform nearly 200 transthoracic needle biopsies, a safe and effective method of diagnosing malignancies of the lungs.
The Thoracic Imaging section holds weekly, interdisciplinary conferences with teams from pulmonary medicine, oncology, surgery, pathology and other specialties.
The Thoracic Imaging Center is located within the Penn Lung Center at the Ruth and Raymond Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine and provides patients and physicians with easy access to chest imaging services.
Lung Cancer Screening
Yearly lung cancer screening has been shown to save lives through early detection and intervention. Low-dose CT (LDCT) lung screening allows for lung cancer to be detected before symptoms develop.
The Penn Lung Cancer Screening Program is recommended for those at high risk and:
- 50 to 80 years of age (Medicare ages 50-77)
- Have at least 20 pack-years of smoking history. A pack-year is calculated by multiplying the number of packs of cigarettes smoked daily by the number of years smoked. For example, a person who smoked a pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years, or a half-pack per day for 40 years would have 20 pack-years.
- Who still smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
Unlike many lung screening programs, all images performed as part of the Lung Cancer Screening Program are read by a dedicated thoracic imaging expert.
Screening criteria varies by insurance. Please check coverage with your insurance provider.
Advancing the Field Through Innovation
To continue to advance the field, research efforts are aimed at developing new techniques to evaluate lung health and treat lung diseases. New functional imaging possibilities, multi-dimensional image display and analysis tools, and markedly improved scanners have provided the framework for innovative breakthroughs. Researchers are working to develop a number of new technologies including hyperpolarized gas imaging of the lungs.
Using cutting-edge imaging methods, researchers at Penn hope to identify and quantify regions of abnormal lung function, and subsequently disease progression or improvement with treatment. These exciting developments can have applications in the treatment of emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary embolism, and the evaluation of transplant or lung volume reduction surgery.