Are CT Scans Safe? New Analysis Highlights Cancer Risks

A new analysis suggests that Communicated Tomography (CT) scan, which can detect everything from cancer to blood clots, cannot benefit more than the risks of radiation exposure in every case.

A team of researchers came to the conclusion that after calculating, radiation exhibitions from CT scans could eventually be about 5 % of all new cancers diagnosed in the United States each year.

“Although CT scans are very valuable, the potential disadvantages of this type of medical scan are often ignored.” Rebecca Smith Bundman, MDA pandemic specialist at the University of California at the San Francisco School of Medicine, who leads the research. “It is seen as ‘fraud’ – you get the required information without any loss.”

Why do Dr. CT scans order?

CT scans produce highly detailed X -ray images of body bones, soft tissues and blood vessels. A series of CT scan images, in the collection, can create a 3D view of what is happening inside the body.

These scans also expose people with a lot of radiation than other imaging tools. X -rays emit less radiation from CT scans. Ultrasound and MRI do not exclude any.

Researchers said the number of annual CT scans in the United States has increased by 30 %. Researchers noted that 61.5 million people have been estimated every year through CT scans of 61.5 million people in the United States.

In some cases, especially when the scan is used to detect or monitor cancer development, the details produced by CT scans are usually much higher than the risk of radiation exposure.

But in many cases, Dr. Smith Bundman says, doctors use CT scan when other tests can be sufficient.

She says, “It would be great to reduce these CT scans, because it would not be affected whether someone is treated or our ability to get information we need.”

Calculation of CT Risk based on Japanese data survived atom bombs

To conduct their risk diagnosis, the researchers first saw the total number of CT scans in the United States, which passed in 2023. The figure also included how many times a person was scanned – sometimes doctors need more than four pictures in a single area – and the place is scanned, such as head or stomach.

On this figure, he applied the BER VIII model, which estimates the risk of cancer for a person after the radiation exposure.

The Beer VII model is largely based on the data of Japanese people who survived the radiation exhibition from atomic bombings during World War II. The model also includes people who are exposed to radiation in their jobs and radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

Based on the number and types of scans in 2023, researchers estimated that the diagnosis of US cancer every year can be attributed to CT scan radiation exhibition soon.

Do you ask your doctor if CT scan is necessary?

Smith Bindman says patients should not go to their doctor’s appointments with a clear idea of whether they need a CT scan. Instead, they should be informed so that they can ask their doctors why a CT scan is really important in their case.

“It is not that patients should deny CT scans. That is, they should engage in conversation with their providers to find out if there are instances where MRI or ultrasound can be used, or if the scan can be delayed.”

In such cases when scans cannot be delayed and another type of imaging will not be appropriate, Smith Bundman says people can ask their doctors whether they can reduce the amount of radiation in which the CT scanner is applied.

A research published in 2019 has included several countries that CT scans can be very different among the countries.

Smith Bindman says there is also a contradiction between scanns in the United States.

Doctors should ‘make every possible effort’ to use the lowest radiation required for CT scan

The required radiation amount of CT scan depends on numerous factors, including the density of the tissue, the amount of fat and muscle, and the space is being scanned.

Max Vinnermark, MDThe chair of the Department of Neuroradiology at the Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas in Houston, says that a major principle radiologist is taught at the medical school, “Alara”, which means “reasonable acquisition”.

“Radiologists take the amount of radiation very seriously,” says Dr. Ventardmark. “We make every effort to minimize the radiation dose, while still allow us to collect information you need to collect to help patients.”

However, radiation can be reduced at only one point.

“You still need to get a diagnosis in the end,” says Vinner Mark, “says Vinner Mark.

CTS are useful in emergency care

Vinner Mark says CT scans can prove invaluable in cases where people need emergency care. Whitenaram says that while the CT scan takes only two minutes, MRI, which does not emit any radiation, take about 40 40 minutes.

“When you have, for example, a patient who has been involved in a very serious car accident, causes some injuries that can result in death, so it must be able to get the scan quickly. Any delay in obtaining these images may result in the patient’s life.”

The same is the case for people who arrive with suspected stroke in the emergency room, which requires immediate care. CT scan provides quick information, doctors can use to determine which interference they can use on the patient safely and effectively.

For unintended scans, Vinner Mark says it is appropriate to explain to your health care provider why CT scan is happening.