A new study has found that the chance of getting brain
cancer or leukemia increases when computed tomography (CT) scans are done on
children.
According to an article from The New York Times,
researchers say that CT scans should only be done when absolutely necessary and
with the lowest possible dose of radiation, such as when diagnosing severe head
injuries.
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| CT Scan Machine Photo from pengrin™, Flickr |
The new study was published in The Lancet, a British
medical journal, and found that when nearly 180,000 children had CT scans, 74
cases of leukemia and 135 cases of brain cancer appeared.
It was also found that the more scans that were
performed, the higher the risk of getting either disease increased.
Children who had five to 10 CT scans tripled the risk of
getting leukemia, while children under the age of 15 who had two or three scans
of the head tripled the risk of brain cancer.
CT scans take X-rays from various angles to create cross-sectional
images. These scans involve a lot of radiation, and researchers say that a
third of the scans performed on children are considered unnecessary and can be
replaced by a safer test like ultrasounds.
When it comes to potential life-threatening conditions,
such as pneumonia complications, spine injuries and chest infections, parents
are urged to not refuse CT scans.
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