Stop Offering Healthy People CT Scans, Says British Government Advisory Body

Even though offering CT scanning - using a computed tomography X-ray machine - on healthy individuals might provide some benefits to the person concerned in some cases, it is a practice which has an impact on public health, says COMARE (Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment). COMARE is an independent expert committee which advises the UK government, its members are chosen for their medical/scientific expertise and recruited from Universities, Research and Medical Institutes - its member are never recruited from the Nuclear or Electrical Power Supply industries.

This latest report comes after COMARE examined studies and reports which showed both the benefits and detriment linked to commercial CT scanning of asymptomatic people. The committee also looked at the psychological effects of the practice, as well as the potential physical detriment from further investigations. As the National Health Service (NHS) may become liable for further examinations and tests, the economic implications for the NHS were also reviewed. The committee members also reviewed alternative techniques which use lower doses of ionizing radiation or non-ionizing radiation.

MedicalNewsToday