CT scan benefits outweigh risks for kids

	Tweet

The increased risk of cancer from the radiation used in a CT scan is negligible compared with the benefits for children who need a scan, according to investigators at Cincinnati’s Hospital for Children in Ohio.

They reviewed the medical literature on the subject and held discussions with experts in the field, and report their conclusions in the journal Pediatrics. 

Their goal was to “provide pediatricians with information that will be helpful in discussing with patients and families/caregivers the radiation risks of CT examinations and the important clinical advantage of these studies.”

Dr. Alan S. Brody told Reuters Health that his team found “no direct connection between CT examinations and subsequent development of cancer.” They did find consensus on using radiation doses “as low as reasonably achievable.”

“Often more than one imaging modality can be used to evaluate a child, Brody commented. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound do not use ionizing radiation, he pointed out.

The radiologist has the responsibility to “adjust scanning techniques on the basis of special considerations of pediatric patients,” Brody and his colleagues explain. The role of the pediatrician is to decide whether or not a CT scan is necessary, and to discuss this with families.

In their summary, the Cincinnati team emphasizes that “there is wide agreement that the benefits of an indicated CT scan far outweigh the risks.”

SOURCE: Pediatrics, September 2207.

RELATED STORIES:
Newborns in ICUs Often Undergo Painful Procedures   Family meals, vegetables may keep kids trim   Big babies at risk of obesity later   Over half of SIDS deaths occur during co-sleeping   Moms-to-be who smoke risk psychotic kids: study   Preparing Kids For School Includes Bathroom Tips   Air pollution may slightly increase SIDS risk   Teen Weight Began to Rise in 1990s   Calcium supplements may be little help for healthy kids   Apartment-dwelling children in nonsmoking units still exposed   Tips To Keep Kids Safe When They Play In And Around Water   Growth hormone therapy more common in boys

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]