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Initially introduced into the medical literature in research publications from "Special Project #1" of the Council for Tobacco Research, the concept of overdiagnosed lung cancer (OD LC) has consistently served to misinform and confuse the medical community, contributing to interminable delays in implementation of population lung cancer screening. Estimates of overdiagnosis vary enormously (9.5% to 75%). Careful, judicious application of diagnostic algorithms and clinical practice guidelines prevents overtreatment of potentially OD LC and offers a safe and effective method to prevent tens of thousands of LC-related deaths. Speculative concern over potential OD should not further block availability of computed tomography screening to those at risk.