Senior radiologists have called for doctors to stop the indiscriminate ordering of CT scans, which can cause cancer.

Medical research has found that more than 400 new cases of cancer a year in Australia are attributable to diagnostic radiology. Despite this, the number of computerised tomography scans, which generate far more radiation than X-rays, is growing about 12 per cent a year, Fairfax newspapers say.

Compared to other imaging procedures, the median effective dose delivered through a single CT scan was as high as 74 mammograms or 442 chest x-rays

Originally posted by jjjtir
reply to post by Maybe...maybe not

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Can you give your take on this?
You state repeatedly in your posts that you are also a "Senior" in the radiological imaging industry.
What can you tell about Tony Webber and Richard Mendelson, the 2 who are also "Senior" Radiologists cited in this news release?
You 3 are all from Australia, perhaps you know each other in person.

Originally posted by jjjtir
reply to post by Maybe...maybe not

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Well, it may not be endemic as of today.
But if the given growth rate of CT scans is correct , "12 per cent a year", then we can agree it will become soon enough.
I do have a hunch on what medical speciality is driving those demands for CT.
I would say it is Cardiology.
They constantly want more potent resolutions for artery imaging.

Tissue Sensitivity

In general, the radiation sensitivity of a tissue is:

- Proportional to the rate of proliferation of its cells

- Inversely proportional to the degree of cell differentiation

For example, the following tissues and organs are listed from most radiosensitive to least radiosensitive:

- Blood forming organs (most sensitive)

- Reproductive organs

- Skin

- Bone & teeth

- Muscle

- Nervous system (least sensitive)

This also means that a developing embryo is most sensitive to radiation during the early stages of differentiation & an embryo/foetus is more sensitive to radiation exposure in the 1st trimester as compared with 2nd & 3rd trimesters.

web.princeton.edu...

Cigarette Smoking:

- 50,000 lung cancer deaths each year per 50 million smokers consuming 20 cigarettes a day, or one death per 7.3 million cigarettes smoked or 1.37 x 10-7 deaths per cigarette

Highway Driving:

- 56,000 deaths each year per 100 million drivers, each covering 10,000 miles or one death per 18 million miles driving, or 5.6 x 10-8 deaths per mile driven

Radiation Induced Fatal Cancer:

- 4% per Sv (100 rem) for exposure to low doses and dose rates

Adapted from information in Radiobiology for the Radiologist, Forth Edition; Eric Hall 1994, J.B. Lippincott Company

www.physics.isu.edu...

Originally posted by soficrow
S&F
Important news - but just so you know, these kind of 'studies' are done every few years, with the same results and warnings.
Lots out there, BUT PLEASE, DON"T QUIT!
ie
2005: Scientists Say No Level Of Radiation "Safe"
reply to post by Maybe...maybe not

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What about MRA? (MRI with gadolinium) ...not invasive, about equal imaging properties.