Sunday, January 20, 2008

Children's Hospital radiologist says CT scans can raise concerns for children

U.S. children every year undergo more than 4 million CT scans. These tests involve taking multiple X-ray images to get detailed pictures from inside the body that can be used to diagnose illnesses.

Thus, CT scans in recent years have become a mainstay of medicine, but there's rising concern that radiation associated with these scans may be increasing cancer risks, particularly in children.

Most recently, an article in the Nov. 29 New England Journal of Medicine said doctors need to more carefully weigh the radiation risks of a CT scan against its possible benefits.

article - Birmingham News

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