Computed tomography scans have become vital, even lifesaving, medical imaging for diagnosing and monitoring health conditions. But they do expose patients to ionizing radiation at levels linked to higher risks of cancer. In a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers tried to estimate what those higher risks are exactly—and although the estimates come with uncertainty, they may seem startling.
Based on data from 93 million CT scans performed on 62 million people in 2023, the researchers estimated that the CT scans would lead to 103,000 future cancers. To put that in context, those 103,000 cancers would account for about 5 percent of cancers diagnosed each year, based on the current cancer rates and the current usage of CT scans. And the estimate puts CT scans on par with alcohol consumption and obesity in terms of risk factors for developing cancer.
The most common types of cancers estimated to be a result of CT scans were lung cancer and colon cancer—two cancers that are becoming more common in younger people for reasons experts do not fully understand. The types of CT scans linked to the greatest number of cancers were abdomen and pelvis CT scans.
Well, yeah, anyone who is curious, and informed, knows that CT machines are cancer ovens.
That seems like ridiculous hyperbole, on a level with the nonsense that vaccine skeptics use to attempt to justify their positions.
They’re projecting 103,000 extra cancer cases per 93,000,000 scans, so a rate of approximately 0.11%. Considering the benefit you’re getting from the scan, that’s minute odds.
Yeah, no it isn’t. It’s been known for over 30 years that the radiation exposure from CT machines is hazardous.
Will every person, or every person in 1,000 patients get cancer? No, but it’s a possibility.
There is a very significant difference between a, roughly, 1 in 1000 risk, and them being ‘cancer ovens’. Had your comnent been less hyperbolic and a bit more along the lines of “there is a known risk level to using a CT scanner” no (ne would be disagreeing.
Sure but again, the CT scans aren’t done just for fun and most medical procedures have some risk involved. If someone is getting a CT scan, chances are that there is something immediate to deal with and so the relatively small future risk of cancer can be worth it.
I haven’t read through the study yet, but at most I think this will slightly change those risk calculations when deciding on diagnostic options
Unlike vaccines, someone’s choice to skip the CT scan will limit the harm to just that person, but I’d rather people can make an informed choice on it than misunderstand the 5% statistic
Look, I don’t know if you’re a xray tech, or a salesperson, but I’m not interested in debating this.
It’s a fact that CT machines have the possibility of causing cancer.
Seek your attention elsewhere. Goodbye.
I MAY BE WRONG BUT I’M NOT WILLING TO LEARN OR GROW OPINIONS AREN’T NUANCED ONLY BLACK AND WHITE AND NOW THAT MY WORLDVIEW IS BEING CHALLENGED I HAVE DEEMED YOU AN ANNOYING ATTENTION SEEKER GO AWAY
Dur dur da dur da durp!
