A nationwide Israeli pilot involving all four health funds found that low-dose CT screening can detect a substantial share of lung cancers at an early stage while keeping immediate harms manageable.
A national Israeli pilot has provided important real-world evidence that low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can be integrated into the country’s healthcare system for people at high risk of lung cancer. The results of the TIGAR program were published online on July 12, 2026, in the journal Lung Cancer.
The program was coordinated by Israel’s Ministry of Health together with all four health maintenance organizations. It focused on current and former heavy smokers, a group in whom lung cancer may remain asymptomatic until the disease is advanced.
Unlike a standard chest X-ray, LDCT produces detailed images of the lungs while using a lower radiation dose than a conventional diagnostic CT scan.
What the Israeli pilot found
A total of 5,395 participants underwent screening. Among eligible people, participation reached 50.5%, despite low baseline awareness of lung cancer screening.
Sixty-three lung cancers were detected, representing 1.2% of those screened. Most importantly, 57.9% of the cancers were diagnosed at stages I or II, when curative treatment is more likely to be possible.
The study also evaluated the potential downsides of screening. Using structured Lung-RADS criteria, the false-positive rate was 8.4% for the broader definition of a positive finding and only 0.7% for highly suspicious nodules.
No immediate serious complications were reported. The median interval between an abnormal scan and a diagnostic procedure was 6.4 weeks.
Why these results matter
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality largely because many tumors are discovered late.
Screening does not prevent every case and cannot replace smoking cessation, but it can shift diagnosis toward earlier stages. The TIGAR findings show that a coordinated national program can identify high-risk participants, standardize scan interpretation, and create a pathway from an abnormal result to further diagnostic care.
The pilot also identified practical challenges, including incomplete documentation of smoking history, uneven participation across health funds, and limited radiology capacity for double reading.
These issues are important because the success of a screening program depends not only on the scan itself but also on accurate eligibility assessment, quality control, follow-up, and timely access to specialists.
Based on the pilot, LDCT screening for high-risk individuals aged 65–74 entered Israel’s National List of Health Services, with expansion to ages 60–74 in 2026.
Eligibility must be assessed individually according to age, smoking exposure, medical history, and current national criteria.
Sapir Medical Clinic can assist international patients with specialist consultations, review of CT findings, second opinions, and coordination of further diagnostics and treatment at leading Israeli medical centers.
Screening decisions should always be made with a physician after an individual risk assessment.
If you would like to receive medical treatment in Israel using the most advanced technologies and latest innovations, with leading doctors at Israel’s top hospitals, contact Sapir Medical Clinic: info@sapirmedical.com