CT scans associated with increased risk of blood cancers

Ever since physicians started using computed tomography for medical imaging, its use grew rapidly. “Our results strengthen the body of evidence of increased cancer risk at low radiation doses and highlight the need for continued justification of paediatric CT examinations and optimisation of doses,” the researchers asserted. Researchers estimated that “for every 10,000 children examined today, one-two persons are expected to develop a haematological malignancy attributable to radiation exposure in the subsequent 12 years.” Dose-effect studies Many earlier studies that estimated the blood cancer risk associated with CT scan radiation in children and young adults have low statistical power, inadequacies in individual dosimetry and potential bias from confounding by indication Researchers based the earlier studies mainly on linear extrapolation of risk from the higher doses of the Japanese atomic bomb survivor studies. Notable features First, it is a large-scale multi-centre study designed to estimate directly the risk of blood cancers associated with ionizing radiation exposure from CT examinations during childhood and young adulthood; it aims to address criticisms of previous studies related to dosimetry, statistical power and potential biases. CT’s potential for increased cancer risks and relatively high cumulative doses from multiple scans have raised concerns among the medical and scientific community.