[ RadSafe ] CT scans dangerous?

[John Jacobus]

Is that tissue dose, or effective dose, or what?

The value of 12-20 rem means nothing without more
information.  This could have been a reported value
for a 1990s CAT scanner.


I am looking at a table for an abdomen plus pelvis
dose where the CT dose index, which is measured in a
QA phantom is 58 mSv.  The effective dose is reported
as 12 mSv.  This is from a report of CT scanner in
2001.  

I have learned to be skeptical of numbers like 12-20
rem.

--- garyi at trinityphysics.com wrote:

> 20 rem?  HOLY COW!!!!
> What CT scanner gave 20 rem acute dose?
> 
> -Gary Isenhower
> 
> On 4 Nov 2007 at 20:02, ROY HERREN wrote:
> 
> Date sent:      	Sun, 4 Nov 2007 20:02:21 -0800
> (PST)
> From:           	ROY HERREN
> <royherren2005 at yahoo.com>
> Subject:        	RE: [ RadSafe ] CT scans dangerous?
> To:             	"Brunkow, Ward"
> <ward.brunkow at wipp.ws>,
> 	Steven Dapra <sjd at swcp.com>, radsafe at radlab.nl
> 
> [ Double-click this line for list subscription
> options ] 
> 
> Does anyone have a ballpark estimate for the
> individual and combined
> exposures from a whole body SPECT/CT from a new 16
> slice CT scanner,
> or a whole body PET/CT from a new 16 slice CT
> scanner?
> 
>   Roy Herren
> 
> "Brunkow, Ward" <ward.brunkow at wipp.ws> wrote: 
> 
> Good issue to bring up. I think the answer is as it
> has been for
> decades:
> >ALARA principal is not observed well within the
> medical community
> >Dr.s aren't trained well in radiation safety and
> therefore prescribe
> diagnostic use freely
> >I think the older CT scanners were giving 12 -20
> Rem acute exposure
> >at
> times, especially upper and lower GI
> >Not enough consideration given to rapidly dividing
> cells, young
> >people $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, money driven
> yet, not ethical to
> >give
> someone this exposure if there isn't significant
> benefit, especially
> younger person, but have to keep those bucks coming
> in >Too much "cook
> book" diagnosis in medical community yet, diagnostic
> (therapeutic for
> that matter also) radiation exposure used too
> freely. The Prescribe
> and move on to the next one.... premise....
> 
> 
> 
> W. G. (Ward) Brunkow
> DOE Contractor (former Medical School RSO)
> 
> 
>

+++++++++++++++++++
"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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