CT scan radiation linked to long term cancer risk
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A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine projects that radiation from CT scans performed in 2023 could result in approximately 103,000 future cancer diagnoses in the U.S., about 5% of the country’s annual cancer diagnoses. This puts the potential population-wide risk of CT scan radiation on a similar level to other established risk factors, such as alcohol use and obesity. Although the risk from a single scan is small, researchers warn that the growing use of CT imaging could have a substantial cumulative impact. Researchers emphasize the importance of minimizing unnecessary scans and optimizing radiation doses to mitigate these risks.
Source
Smith-Bindman R, Chu PW, Azman Firdaus H, et al. Projected Lifetime Cancer Risks From Current Computed Tomography Imaging. JAMA Intern Med. Published online April 14, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0505
Additional Reading
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ct-scans-radiation-cancer-diagnoses-study/
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2025/04/429791/popular-ct-scans-could-account-5-all-cancer-cases-year