CT Scans Pose Significant US Cancer Risk

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine indicates that CT scans, which use ionizing radiation, could be responsible for approximately 5% of all cancer diagnoses annually in the U.S., equating to about 103,000 future cancer cases from 93 million scans performed in 2023. The study, led by Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman from the University of California, San Francisco, highlights the significant health risks associated with the increasing use of CT scans, especially for non-essential imaging. While CT scans are crucial for diagnosing various medical conditions, experts warn that their overuse and the variability in radiation doses may contribute significantly to the cancer burden. The study underscores the need for better awareness among patients and healthcare providers about the risks and calls for more judicious use of CT scans. It also compares the cancer risk from CT scans to other risk factors like alcohol consumption and excess body weight.