We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Report Highlights the Importance of Avoiding Unnecessary Computed Tomography Scans

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 02 Mar 2015
Image: An image from a CT scan (Photo courtesy of Consumer Reports).
Image: An image from a CT scan (Photo courtesy of Consumer Reports).
A report claims that approximately one third of the 80 million CT exams performed in the US every year serve no medical purpose.

The report based on data collected in a survey of 1,019 adults, investigated the use of Computed Tomography (CT) exams in the US, and was carried out by a large consumer protection organization. The report stated that only one sixth of the adults surveyed were warned by their physicians about the radiation risks, and that one CT scan exposes a person to a radiation dose equivalent to 200 chest X-rays.

The report was release by the Consumer Reports (USA), an organization that helps consumers make better informed choices and campaigns for safer products and fair market practices.

According to Consumer Reports, part of the problem is that doctors who own their own CT equipment tend to order more scans for patients than doctors that do not have their own scanner. The organization suggests that patients should always ask their doctor whether an ultrasound or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) could be used instead of a CT exam.

Consumer Reports medical advisor, Dr. Orly Avitzur, noted, "It's estimated that CT scans may be responsible for at least two percent of future cancers in the United States, resulting in fifteen thousand deaths a year. So it's clearly critical to avoid unnecessary CT scans."

Related Links:

Consumer Reports 


Ultra-Flat DR Detector
meX+1717SCC
New
Ultrasound Needle Guidance System
SonoSite L25
Radiology Software
DxWorks
Portable Color Doppler Ultrasound Scanner
DCU10

Channels

Ultrasound

view channel
Image: The new implantable device for chronic pain management is small and flexible (Photo courtesy of The Zhou Lab at USC)

Wireless Chronic Pain Management Device to Reduce Need for Painkillers and Surgery

Chronic pain affects millions of people globally, often leading to long-term disability and dependence on opioid medications, which carry significant risks of side effects and addiction.... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The diagnostic tool could improve diagnosis and treatment decisions for patients with chronic lung infections (Photo courtesy of SNMMI)

Novel Bacteria-Specific PET Imaging Approach Detects Hard-To-Diagnose Lung Infections

Mycobacteroides abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacteria that primarily affects immunocompromised patients and those with underlying lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.