A dental X-ray has an effective mrem radiation dose of 2, according to the American College of Radiology, while a CT spine scan has a dose of 600.
And high radiation doses is known to cause cancer.
That is why, according to today’s Informed Patient column in the Wall Street Journal, federal regulators, hospitals and some radiology groups are calling for reducing their use.
Doctors now order more than 70 million CT scans a year, which could result in an estimated 29,000 future cancer cases, the article by Laura Landro states.
While CT scans – used when necessary – saves lives by detecting brain tumors and blood clots, too often they are ordered because a doctor may own a CT machine, or maybe because she is worried about a lawsuit, the column says.
