The Hidden Cancer Costs of CT Scans
CT scans have made diagnosis easier. They also expose patients to ionizing radiation (X-rays). Could there be an increased risk of cancer?
Are doctors overusing Computed Tomography Imaging? CT or “CAT” scans were performed over 90 million times in 2023. That’s according to a study just published in JAMA Internal Medicine, April 14, 2025. The name CAT scan sounds innocuous, but in fact it ...
represents ionizing radiation, similar to X-rays. According to these researchers, those CT scans will likely lead to more than 100,000 future cancers. Don’t get me wrong, though. There are times when such imaging is absolutely essential. This research raises an important question, though: is a proposed CT scan absolutely necessary, or is it a “just in case” extra test? What questions should you ask before having a CT image?