Radiation risk from medical imaging tests

Posted on 2009-08-31 00:51:10 in Cancer | Diagnostics | Healthcare and Information | Longevity and Age Management |

Millions of Americans are being exposed to potentially cancer-causing levels of radiation from medical imaging tests. Per capita radiation doses in the U.S. have risen sixfold since the early 1980's, and according to Reza Fazel, MD of Atlanta's Emory University School of Medicine, "Our study shows that a lot of people are getting high doses of radiation."

Average Americans typically receive no more than 3 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation annually, but increased use of nuclear imaging and CT scans has increased radiation exposure. Myocardial perfusion imaging for heart disease delivers about 15 mSv per test, accounting for the largest single radiation exposure. The highest radiation exposures occurred among women and older adults in the study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine".

"We don't want to scare people and have them refuse necessary procedures, but physicians and patients need to be aware that radiation is not benign," states Fazel. 80% of radiation exposures occured among non-hospitalized patients, with CT scans and nuclear imaging comprising three-fourths of radiation exposure.

News source: http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20090826/too-much-radiation-from-medical-imaging

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