Low-Dose CT Scan Initiatives in Radiology Clinics Help Ensure Patient Safety

Computed tomography (CT) scanning and related medical technologies are critical imaging applications that have transformed the way medicine is now practiced. The technology has eliminated millions of exploratory surgeries and has allowed physicians to make critical diagnoses, making CT imaging a vital tool in the practice of medicine.

Approximately 70 million CT scans are performed annually in the United States alone; about one in five adults receive a CT scan yearly. The scans, which utilize X-rays, provide cross-sectional images of the body that are effectively used to assess disorders of the sinus, chest, abdomen, pelvis, central nervous system, and musculoskeletal system.

A US imaging clinic is taking the initiative of lowering radiation doses of CT scanning. “The radiologists and technologists at Imaging Healthcare Specialists have modified existing CT exam protocols to dramatically reduce radiation dose based on a patient’s size, weight, and age,” said John O. Johnson, MD, chief of CT imaging at Imaging Healthcare Specialists (San Diego, CA, USA). “Our low-dose initiatives have reduced radiation exposure by as much as 90% in select patients. We are proud to be a leader in lowering radiation dose for our patients while maintaining imaging quality for our referring physicians.”

The increased use of CT scans in the United States has resulted in an unavoidable increase in cumulative radiation exposure to patients. With the upsurge in radiation exposure, there is a theoretic increased risk of radiation-induced cancers. “The natural lifetime cancer risk is 40%,” said Dr. Johnson. “Imaging Healthcare Specialists’ commitment to optimizing our CT protocols ensures that our patients receive the least amount of radiation exposure without compromising image quality, thereby reducing cancer risk.”

Imaging Healthcare Specialists has 11 offices throughout San Diego and south Riverside County of California.

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