Using lung cancer CT scans to find and help people with COPD
Official title: Leveraging Quantitative Imaging from Lung Cancer Screening to Create Tools to Confront COPD
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11179194 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses low-dose CT images from lung cancer screening to spot signs of COPD in older current or former smokers so more people with undiagnosed COPD get follow-up breathing tests.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $672,974 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL174648-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179194 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are current or former smokers aged about 50–80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who are undergoing low-dose CT lung cancer screening.
✕Less likely to help
People who are younger than screening age, have little or no smoking history, or do not undergo lung cancer screening CTs are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you're getting a low-dose CT scan for lung cancer screening, this project looks at those images to find signs of emphysema and other features linked to COPD. Researchers will apply quantitative imaging analyses to past and current screening CTs and combine image measures with clinical data to build tools that flag people at high risk for COPD. They will validate those tools using datasets like the National Lung Screening Trial and with screening populations, and aim to connect flagged patients to pulmonary function testing and clinical follow-up. The goal is to create practical tools radiologists can use during routine screening so more people receive timely COPD diagnosis and care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help people get an earlier COPD diagnosis by using routine lung cancer screening scans to flag those who need follow-up breathing tests and treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier analyses, including work from the National Lung Screening Trial, have shown quantitative CT measures can reveal emphysema and help detect COPD, but broad clinical implementation remains limited.
Where this research is happening
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University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Han, Meilan K — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Han, Meilan K
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.