Health Talk: Smart scans for pulmonary nodules

Doctor Zhi Xiuyi, deputy secretary general of the Cancer Foundation of China, highlighted the importance of scientific follow-ups for patients with pulmonary nodules on Saturday as he spoke on the sidelines of a meeting celebrating the foundation's 40th anniversary.

"If the doctor recommends a follow-up in a year, don't insist on having one in six months," Zhi said.

A CT scan, short for computed axial tomography, is a medical imaging technique that provides detailed internal images of the body.

Zhi cautioned that too frequent CT scans may expose patients to excess radiation, which is harmful to our bodies.

He also advised patients seeking expert consultations to undergo thin-slice CT scans at the same hospital. He explained that having all their data in one place allows doctors to access more high-quality images, upwards of 200 images, which are helpful for more accurate diagnosis, especially for small nodules.