[ RadSafe ] CT scans dangerous?

[John Jacobus]

Dr. Brickner,
Does that cited paper have any evidence of mortality
due to CT scans?  How do the projected risks compare
to the immediate benefits derived from the CT scans?


--- áøé÷ðø ãá <brickner at smile.net.il> wrote:

> I am not sure that ALARA does not apply to medical
> exposures. It is true
> that justification considerations are limited (and
> the decision to perform a
> CT exam is made on medical basis), but justification
> should be applied in
> certain situations like a pregnant woman or repeated
> exams in children
> ("complex situations" as they are called in ICRP
> 60). Optimiztion should be
> applied at the level of the imaging department or
> institution  (see ICRP 60
> 179-184).
> The subject was discussed in Israel lately : Chodick
> G et al. Excess
> lifetime cancer mortality risk attributable to
> radiation exposure from
> pediatric computed tomography examinations . Israel
> Med Assn J 2007 ;
> 9:579-82 (paper written in English if anybody is
> interested I can try to get
> a pdf copy) .
> Dov Brickner        MD
> Beer Sheva    ISRAEL
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl
> [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf
> Of John Jacobus
> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 4:09 AM
> To: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] CT scans dangerous?
> 
> Ward,
> ALARA does not and should not apply to medical
> exposures. ALARA principles are used to reduce the
> risk of harmful effects associated with radiation
> exposures.  In medicine, the patient is frequently
> already at risk from harm due to disease or injury. 
> Radiation, surgery, prescribed drugs, etc., all have
> the potential to improve the patents' health and
> quality of life.  
> 
> While physicians are probably not trained in the
> risks
> of radiation exposure, drug interactions, etc. they
> assume total responsibility for the patient under
> their care.  
> 
> 
> --- "Brunkow, Ward" <ward.brunkow at wipp.ws> wrote:
> 
> >

+++++++++++++++++++
"If you guard your toothbrushes and diamonds with equal zeal, you'll probably lose fewer toothbrushes and more diamonds."
- Former national security advised McGeorge Bundy
-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com

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