Background and purpose: Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening in Eastern China has found that the previously considered “low-risk population”

that is

young women who do not smoke

have a higher detection rate of lung cancer. Whether this phenomenon also exists in Western China

and how to determine the target receivers for LDCT is still unknown. This study analyzed the data of the screening of some residents in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and provided a practical basis for promoting practice of LDCT. Methods: From Apr. 2020 to May 2020

all employees of the Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University voluntarily underwent free LDCT screenings as one of their annual health examinations

including retired employees. All suspicious imaging data were reviewed by the multidisciplinary team of chest diseases in the hospital

and recommendations for clinical diagnosis

treatment

or follow-up were given. Results: A total of 1 039 employees underwent LDCT

including 739 (71.1%) women

with a median age of 35 years (19-90 years). Among the participants

698 (67.2%) were of Han ethnicity. LDCT showed 351 (33.8%) cases with lung abnormalities. The detection rate was positively correlated with age (P0.001). Among these abnormal cases

86 (8.3%) were solid nodules

12 (1.2%) were ground-glass opacities (GGO)

141 (13.5%) were calcified lesions

and 112 (10.8%) cases of other benign lesions. One case of lung cancer was finally diagnosed

and he was a male smoker . Two cases underwent surgical resection. Pathological diagnosis confirmed that one solid nodule was tuberculosis

and one GGO (maximum diameter was 3 cm) was an inflammatory lesion. In the other two cases of GGO with a diameter greater than 8 mm

the lesions were found to shrink during the half-year follow-up CT scan

considering inflammatory lesions as well. No evidence of malignancy had been found in the remaining patients until this manuscript was complete. Conclusion: LDCT as a regular health examination detects a considerable proportion of healthy population with lung abnormalities. How it can be used as a routine screening method among Xinjiang residents needs further investigation.