This week’s discussion topic is about whether mandatory full body scans are a good idea for the population of Fort Worth. From the context of the original question I am assuming a full body scan refers to a CT scan.
First of all, what is a CT scan? According to the Envison Radiology website it is process that uses a series of X-ray images taken from various angles around the body. Computers then combine the images to make a 3D image of ones bones and soft tissues (Envision Radiology). How do doctors use this information? It is possible for doctors to view bone disorders, tumors, and internal injuries without having to do any invasive procedures. The ability to detect tumors and other disorders makes it a valuable tool for early cancer diagnosis.
That all sounds great, so it’s no wonder that physicians order them so frequently. There’s no harm in an early cancer diagnosis, right? Well, there is some conflicting information out there. A study found that childhood leukemia rates nearly tripled with exposure to CT scans (Pearce, Salotti, Little, McHugh, Lee, 2012). A review of the risks by Dr. Rita Redberg estimates there could be approximately 15,000 deaths resulting unnecessary CT scans that were performed in 2007 alone (Redberg, 2009). On the other hand, two doctors from the Mayo clinic believe that because the increase in radiation exposure is so low the the benefits outweigh the risks (Hara & McCollough, 2013). The one thing that became clear is that not everyone agrees on the dangers of scanning.
After conducting more research a trend emerged. The articles that promoted CT scans by saying they had minimal risk did not cite any specific scientific research to support their claims. Most were written by the medical community, but that could mean they have an agenda to profit from extra scans. All of the research that suggested increased exposure to radiation from CT scans resulted in an increased risk of cancer came from peer reviewed scientific journals. Finally I found a study that showed a clear correlation between CT scans and cancer rates (Smith-Bindman, Lipson, Marcus, Kim, Mahesh & Gould, 2009), and I made up my mind. I do not believe that full body scans should be mandatory. The increased radiation amounts do not provide enough benefit to the general population to be beneficial. I completely support their use in emergency situations, to support a diagnosis, and even if there is a strong medical history of cancer, but they should not be mandatory for healthy individuals, especially children.
References:
CT Scans at Envision Radiology. (n.d.). CT Scans at Envision Radiology. Retrieved April 14, 2014, from http://www.envrad.com/services-ct-scans.html
Pearce, M., Salotti, J., Little, M., McHugh, K., & Lee, C. (2012, June 6). Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study. The Lancet, 380, 499-505.
Redberg RF. Cancer Risks and Radiation Exposure From Computed Tomographic Scans: How Can We Be Sure That the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(22):2049-2050. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.453.
Hara, A., & McCollough, C. (2013, May 31). Interview by Mayo Clinic. Mayo clinic experts provide some insight about radiation dose from ct imaging. Retrieved from http://www.news-medical.net/news/20130531/Mayo-Clinic-experts-provide-some-insight-about-radiation-dose-from-CT-imaging.aspx
Smith-Bindman, R., Lipson, J., Marcus, R., Kim, K., Mahesh, M., & Gould, R. (2009). Radiation dose associated with common computed tomography examinations and the associated lifetime attributable risk of cancer . Internal Medicine, 169(22), 2078-2086. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.427
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