MEDICAL PHYSICS IN THE EARLY DETECTION OF LUNG CANCER
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63330/armv2n5-042Keywords:
Lung cancer, Medical Physics, Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT), Artificial Intelligence, Radiomics, Population screening, Personalized medicineAbstract
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of mortality from malignant neoplasms worldwide, representing a highly complex public health challenge. Medical Physics plays a central role in screening, particularly through low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), which has been shown to reduce mortality by 20% in at-risk populations, according to the National Lung Screening Trial (2011). Advances in dose-reduction protocols, iterative image reconstruction, and artificial intelligence have enhanced diagnostic accuracy and radiological safety, enabling the identification of nodules at earlier stages with greater precision. Despite these advances, challenges persist, such as false positives, cumulative radiation exposure, high costs, and ethical dilemmas. Future perspectives point toward multimodal and personalized approaches, integrating radiomics, molecular biomarkers, and artificial intelligence algorithms, consolidating screening as a strategic tool in reducing lung cancer mortality.
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