[ RadSafe ] Studies Quantify Cancer Risks From CT Scans(MSN article)

Tue Dec 15 12:44:47 CST 2009

I don't particularly doubt the 70 million, but it should be noted that the distribution is far from uniform.  I, for example, have never had a CT.  My mother, who has had a brain tumor and other cancers, has had probably a couple dozen.  My father, who is now dead, had more than I would care to count.  

Because of the true distribution of who gets CTs, with a disproportionate number given to older people, trauma victims, and people with serious health issues, I am skeptical about the number of cancers and the number of fatalities mentioned.  Long term health risks only come into play if you don't die first.

That being said, I without reservation agree that "... reducing radiation dosages, eliminating unnecessary and repeat examinations, and creating searchable electronic medical records to collect and track CT studies over time..." are all very worthy goals.

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf Of Kai Kaletsch
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 3:24 AM
To: Richard D. Urban Jr.; radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Studies Quantify Cancer Risks From CT Scans(MSN article)

Is that right: 70 million CT scans per year in the US? That's one scan every 
4 or 5 years for every man woman and child.

30 mSv in a few minutes is not a low dose rate.

Kai

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard D. Urban Jr." <radmax at earthlink.net>
To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 1:57 AM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Studies Quantify Cancer Risks From CT Scans (MSN 
article)

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100251079&gt1=31036
Those with more expertise than myself should weigh in on this at above 
article link.

Studies Quantify Cancer Risks From CT Scans
Commonly performed CT scans are exposing patients to far more radiation than 
previously thought and in doses that could cause tens of thousands of 
cancers a year, two new studies claim...

Based on the findings, reported in the Dec. 14/28 issue of the Archives of 
Internal Medicine, the study authors, joined by Archives editor Dr. Rita F. 
Redberg, are calling on clinicians to limit radiation exposure to patients.

"CT has become so quick that we are using it so commonly, and we have 
lowered our threshold for using it—meaning we use it for patients who really 
are unlikely to have any underlying disease," said Dr. Rebecca 
Smith-Bindman, a professor in residence in the department of radiology at 
the University of California, San Francisco, and lead author of one of the 
studies. Although it's a "fabulous diagnostic tool," she said she believes 
"we have lowered it to the point where there may be no benefit in some 
patients."...

...In the United States, the total number of CT (or computed tomography) 
scans performed annually has swelled from 3 million in 1980 to nearly 70 
million in 2007, according to data cited by Smith-Bindman's team...

...In fact, the new data suggest that its overuse may be doing more harm 
than good...

...Smith-Bindman's team collected data from 1,119 patients who received 11 
common types of CT scans performed at four San Francisco-area hospitals. For 
each type of CT scan, the dose of radiation varied widely within and across 
hospitals. There was a 13-fold variation, on average...

...The dose of radiation for a multiphase abdomen-pelvis CT study ranged 
from 6 to 90 millisieverts, and the average dose was 31 millisieverts.

Ninety millisieverts, depending on how you count it, is equivalent to "many 
thousands of chest X-rays," Einstein said. "That's like the background 
radiation you and I would receive over a 30-year period; it's just a 
tremendously high dose from one CT scan procedure."...

...Overall, her team estimated that 29,000 future cancers could be related 
to scans performed in 2007, and that these cases would result in about 
14,500 deaths. The highest contributors to those numbers are the scans most 
frequently performed, including abdomen and pelvis, chest and head exams.

It's estimated that two-thirds of the projected cancers will occur in women, 
primarily because of the higher frequency of use in women (60 percent) and 
because of higher breast and lung cancer risks from scans that expose the 
chest.

While the numbers may be scary, Berrington de Gonzalez said people should 
realize "that CT scans provide great medical benefits and that, in general, 
individual risks are small and should be outweighed by the benefits if the 
CT scan is clinically justified."...

...To ensure safe use, the authors' recommendations focus on reducing 
radiation dosages, eliminating unnecessary and repeat examinations, and 
creating searchable electronic medical records to collect and track CT 
studies over time...

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