Methods For Staging Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Diagnosis And Management Of Lung Cancer

For patients with either a known or suspected lung cancer who are eligible for treatment, a CT scan of the chest with contrast is recommended. (1, B)

For patients with either a known or suspected lung cancer, it is recommended that a thorough clinical evaluation be performed to provide an initial definition of tumor stage. (1, B)

In patients with either a known or suspected lung cancer who have an abnormal clinical evaluation and no suspicious extrathoracic abnormalities on chest CT, additional imaging for metastases is recommended. (1, B)