Report Highlights the Importance of Avoiding Unnecessary Computed Tomography Scans

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."

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