Imaging in lung cancer is far from perfect. A chest x-ray cannot distinguish lung cancer from a benign process. However, an abnormal chest x-ray should prompt further study, especially in a smoker or a patient with a clinical picture that is consistent with malignancy. A follow-up chest x-ray would likely show a persistent infiltrate and trigger prompt a chest CT scan. A CT scan also cannot absolutely distinguish cancer from a benign process, but it can show features that alert the clinician to be more aggressive in the evaluation. Finally, a CT scan can only suggest if a tumor is resectable or not based on anatomic grounds. There are many times when additional imaging is required, and even with the best imaging available, the ability to resect is determined in the operating room as very fine details cannot be seen on these studies.
Radiologic imaging for lung cancer medical expert witness specialties include oncology, internal medicine, radiology, pathology, lung transplant, thoracic surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, and hospitalist medicine.