1. Why should I be screened for lung cancer?
Lung cancer is the most common fatal cancer in adults, but it's treatable if it's caught early. Screening helps to identify lung cancer early, when it's most treatable.

2. Who is a candidate for a screening?
Lung screenings are designed for people 55 to 74 years old who have smoked for 30 years, who are currently smoking or who quit less than 15 years ago.

3. What is the cost?  Is it covered by insurance?
Riverside waives most of the charges for the low dose CT scan. At this time, preventative screenings are not covered by insurance and cost the patient $225. The upfront cost could save you from undergoing more costly treatments down the road or even save your life if it catches a problem early.

4. How do I set up an appointment?

5. What can I expect during my screening appointment?
Patients should arrive early to fill out paperwork. The screening itself takes just a few seconds. You will be asked to briefly hold your breath to capture the most accurate images. Within 24 hours, you will be contacted with the results.

6. What happens after my lung cancer screening?
If the screen results are negative, the patient is recommended to be screened again each year for the next two years and to quit smoking. A positive screening means that additional follow-up or further testing is needed to determine if the patient has lung cancer or another problem. A specialist will meet with you to discuss the next steps.

7. Where are lung cancer screenings offered?
Screenings are offered at all Riverside hospitals and outpatient radiology centers. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about lung cancer screenings, call Riverside's lung cancer patient navigator at (757) 534-LUNG or 534-5864. In Tappahannock, please call the HCA Cancer Care Network at (804) 422-2273.


  • Riverside Regional Medical Center, 500 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News
  • Riverside Doctors Hospital Williamsburg, 1500 Commonwealth Ave., Williamsburg
  • Riverside Diagnostic Center-Hampton, located within Riverside Healthcare Center, Suite 1500, 850 Enterprise Parkway, Hampton
  • Riverside Diagnostic Center-Newport News, at the Riverside Diagnostic and Breast Imaging Center, Suite 104, 895 Middle Ground Blvd., Newport News
  • Riverside Diagnostic Center-Williamsburg, located within Riverside Healthcare Center, Suite 1200, 120 Kings Way, Williamsburg
  • Riverside Diagnostic Center-Smithfield, 202 Gumwood Drive, Smithfield
  • Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, 7519 Hospital Drive, Gloucester
  • Riverside Tappahannock Hospital, 618 Hospital Road, Tappahannock 
  • Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, 9507 Hospital Ave., Nassawadox

8. What are the risks of undergoing a lung cancer screening?
The screening exposes patients to a very low amount of radiation. There's also a small chance that the screening may not result in an accurate diagnosis, meaning the screening may detect no cancer when cancer is present, or may detect cancer when no cancer is present.

9. How is this screening different from the old way of screening?
The CT scanner may detect very small abnormalities that do not show up on regular X-rays until they are much larger and more difficult to treat.

10. What if I'm diagnosed with lung cancer?
We are here to help. Riverside Health System offers the full array of lung cancer services, from targeted therapy, which uses specialized drugs to block the growth and spread of cancer cells, to chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. A multidisciplinary care team works with you to design a treatment plan, and a lung cancer patient navigator is available to walk patients through every step of the process. Learn more about Riverside's lung cancer program and meet the lung cancer team here.

11. Does Riverside offer classes to help me quit smoking?
Yes, Smokeless®, a smoking-cessation program, is offered at Riverside Regional Medical Center and Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital. For information, call Holly Hicks at (757) 875-7533.

Additional smoking cessation resources:

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