Re: Get your CAT Scan here!

[hflong@postoffice.pacbell.net]

Most physicians are dubious about the value of screening CT because of

false positives. Some of my patients have been frightened thereby.

Others worry about harm from the radiation. The exposure is about one

rem for the thorax by hospital machines here, depending on the weight

and thus the energy needed.



Hormesis dose is so similar to that from CT, that I abandoned a plan to

test hormesis prevention of cancer of the breast and lung when I

realized the the measures, CT plus mamography, would blunt the power to

detect any reduction in cancer by hormesis from the CT. 



Perhaps people are getting benefit from CT that we don't yet know how to

measure - hormesis.



Howard Long



 High Plains Drifter wrote:

> 

> John, et al, evidently there is a debate on the overall cost versus

> life extending benefits of the mass CAT scanning.  Here is a leader

> from EPIMonitor.net:

> 

> 

> CAT Scan Screening Poses Public Health Dilemma Similar To That In The

> Mammography Debate

> 

> The banner reads 1-87-R-U-AT-RISK. Get Scanned Early Detection of

> Cancer and Heart Disease Can Mean A Cure!

> 

> The easy availability (mobile vans) and relatively low cost of CAT

> scanning the whole body (under $1000) are increasing the number of

> persons being screened, and increasing the number of lumps, tumors and

> cysts being detected throughout the body, according to a NY Times

> report today. Many of these are benign, but some are not. As a result,

> the vexing question of whether or not the rate of false positives is

> too high to justify the procedure on a mass scale is being raised.

> This is reminiscent of the recent debate about routine screening for

> breast cancer among women under 50.

> 

> Where you stand on this issue may depend on where you sit. From a

> public health or societal perspective, the cost to the health care

> system of working up so many individuals who may be false positives is

> of concern. Also, for these individuals, the pain and anxiety

> surrounding the follow up tests may be considerable. On the other

> hand, for those individuals who have a cancer detected early, the

> benefits may be life saving. Where do you draw the line? How do you

> decide as an individual? How do we decide collectively?

> 

> Dean Chaney, CHP

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