December 2009 UPDATE: The use of CT scans has increased dramatically in the last decade or more, and recently published research indicates that this may ultimately result in an increase in the number of radiation-related cancer cases – and cancer-related mortality. Two studies, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, attempted to quantify the effect of CT on cancer incidence and mortality. (See article posted below - CT scans increasing lifetime cancer risk Doctors have little more info than patients about CT scan safety By Pippa Wysong SAN DIEGO – Doctors aren't giving patients enough information about the risks of getting a CT scan because they themselves don't know what those risks are, according to an emergency room survey. There is still uncertainty in the field of radiology as to just how safe CT scans are. "A lot of people believe it's in the range of cancer-causing radiation. There are some who don't believe that, but there are some who do," said Dr. Howard Forman from the division of emergency medicine at Yale University school of medicine. He spoke at the recent annual meeting here of the American Roentgen Ray Society. In the U.S., what are dubbed "screening CTs" are becoming more popular among healthy patients, said Dr. Forman. "Patients are going to these studies, paying good money for them and the gain is marginal at best. Some would argue it has no real health benefits to the patient. And there is a genuine potential radiation risk," he said. Inform patients Patients should be informed of the potential risks, he said, in presenting findings from a survey in which 45 emergency physicians were asked what the risks and benefits to patients would be from an abdominal-pelvic CT scan. Ten (22%) responded that they do explain the risks and benefits to patients. Only nine said they mentioned the radiation dose. The physicians were asked how they would compare the radiation from a CT to that of a typical chest X-ray. Three of the doctors said the dose was either less than or equal to a chest X-ray. Twenty (44%) of the doctors said the dose was greater than a chest X-ray, but less than 10 times the dose. Just over one-fifth of the doctors (22%) said the radiation dose from a CT was more than 10 times that of an X-ray but less than 100 times the dose. Ten (22%) of the respondents were able to provide an accurate dose comparison—that a CT scan is 100 to 250 times the dose of a chest X-ray. Two doctors thought the dose was considerably higher. A typical CT dose "can be in the range of 13 milli-sieverts, which represents the equivalent of several years of background radiation dose," Dr. Forman said. "You can't educate the patients if the physicians who are ordering the studies and the physicians who are performing the studies do not know the risks themselves. "That's the additional unfortunate finding," he said. AMERICAN ROENTGEN RAY SOCIETY May 20, 2003 Volume 39 Issue 20 Thanks to Medicalpost.com Am Fam Physicians, 10/02 References Pineapple Juice as Negative Oral Contrast Agent MRI Sdm Bicarb Prevents Contrast-induced Nephropathy Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis Renal Problems -Gadodiamide Archives of Internal Medicine December 2009 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encyclopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.