Breathe Easy Mobile CT Screening Led by HeartLung Advisor Dr. Robert Headrick Featured at STS 2026

The mobile lung screening program aims to improve access and increase participation in early lung cancer detection.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 10:15am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

HeartLung Corporation announced that the CommonSpirit Memorial Hospital-Breathe Easy Mobile Lung Screening program, developed and led by HeartLung Scientific Advisor Dr. Robert Headrick, is being featured at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Breathe Easy brings low-dose CT scans directly into communities to make it easier for high-risk individuals to get screened for early signs of lung cancer and connect to follow-up care.

Why it matters

Too many eligible patients do not receive recommended lung cancer screening due to barriers like transportation, time off work, and limited access to convenient imaging. Breathe Easy aims to remove these frictions by bringing screening to where people live and work, especially in vulnerable communities that face a disproportionate burden of lung cancer.

The details

The Breathe Easy model centers on a mobile CT 'coach' that travels to different locations. In addition to evaluating the lungs, the low-dose chest CT can provide broader clinical context to support preventive care discussions. Dr. Headrick's work has helped elevate community-forward screening strategies that improve accessibility and the likelihood of early intervention.

  • The 62nd STS Annual Meeting will be held January 29–February 1, 2026, in New Orleans.
  • Breathe Easy was created to address persistent challenges in lung cancer prevention.

The players

Breathe Easy Mobile Lung Screening

A mobile low-dose CT lung screening initiative developed by Dr. Robert Headrick to bring noninvasive lung screening directly into communities, with a focus on reaching vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by lung cancer.

Dr. Robert Headrick

A HeartLung Scientific Advisor and the developer of the Breathe Easy program.

HeartLung Corporation

A medical technology company dedicated to advancing AI-enabled, CT-based opportunistic screening and early disease detection.

Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)

An organization that is hosting its Annual Meeting in New Orleans, where the Breathe Easy program is being featured.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Too many patients who qualify for screening never receive it, and the consequences are devastating. Breathe Easy was built to remove friction by bringing screening to where people are, especially in vulnerable communities that carry a disproportionate burden of lung cancer. Earlier detection changes everything.”

— Dr. Robert Headrick, MD, MBA

What’s next

The Breathe Easy program is being highlighted at the STS Annual Meeting as a model that health systems, clinicians, and community partners can look to when designing programs intended to reach more patients and reduce preventable delays in diagnosis.

The takeaway

By bringing low-dose CT lung screening directly into communities, the Breathe Easy program aims to improve access, increase screening participation, and support earlier identification of potential lung cancer findings, especially in vulnerable populations that face disproportionate barriers to care.