Yes, it is true that CAT scans expose patients to far more radiation that previously thought, and this could be very dangerous to your health. The Archives of Internal Medicine estimates that the overuse of CAT scans might contribute to 29,000 new cancers and 14,500 deaths each year. Because CAT scans are now available at many community hospitals now, and they do give good information to follow patients, their use has exploded. However, there are other tests, such as ultrasounds and MRIs that are much safer because they do not use Xrays, which cause cancer. Always ask if there is an alternative test to use or if the CAT scan is really necessary at this point. It is your total lifetime exposure that is the major factor. Save it until you really need it.
See Archives of Internal Medicine (click here) and USA Today (click here), December 15, 2009,
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