Free (bulk billed) lung cancer screening tests using low-dose CT scans for high-risk people. Procedures are quick and non-invasive with minimal wait times for appointments.
Key points
- Low-dose, non-invasive procedure
- Free with Medicare (bulk billed)
- Minimal wait times for appointment
What we do
- We provide free low-dose CT scans to detect early signs of lung cancer. The scan is quick and non-invasive
- Scans are reported by our Thoracic Radiologists who are experts in diagnosing thoracic conditions
- Patients with significant findings or high-risk results can be referred via a streamlined pathway to our Respiratory Medicine service or other specialist service for ongoing management and care
About the National Lung Cancer Screening Program
The Royal Melbourne Hospital is part of Victoria’s network of public lung nodule clinics offering bulk-billed screening tests to support the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP).
The NLCSP is a free, Commonwealth-funded program that aims to detect lung cancer early, when treatment is more effective and survival rates are higher.
Under the program, eligible people can be referred to us for a free lung cancer screening test.
Who can use our service
We accept referrals for people who:
- are aged between 50 and 70 years
- show no signs or symptoms of lung cancer (are asymptomatic)
- currently smoke or have quit within the past 10 years
- have a history of tobacco cigarette smoking of at least 30 pack-years (for example, one pack a day for 30 years or 2 packs a day for 15 years)
Pack-years are calculated by multiplying the number of cigarette packs smoked per day by the number of years the person has smoked.
- One pack a day × 30 years = 30 pack-years
- Two packs a day × 15 years = 30 pack-years
Speak to your GP or healthcare provider for help calculating your pack-years or visit NLCSP Eligibility on the Department of Health website.
High-risk results and significant findings
- All high-risk and very high-risk category findings must be referred to a respiratory physician (or other specialist) linked to a lung cancer multidisciplinary team (see NLCSP screening and assessment pathway guidelines)
- All actionable additional findings requiring a specialist review can be referred to Respiratory Medicine for appropriate specialty follow-up
Booking an appointment
If you are eligible, our team will contact you directly to arrange your CT scan when we receive your referral.
Contact Private Imaging if you have any questions, or to change or cancel your appointment.
After your scan
If your scan shows actionable findings or that you are high-risk, your original referring practitioner will refer you to a Respiratory Medicine service or other specialist service for ongoing management and care.
If you are low-risk or moderate-risk, you may be sent a reminder in the future for another scan. The length of time between scans will depend on your risk category.
See NLCSP screening and assessment pathway | Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.