Doctors urge minimal use of CT scans in children
Radiologists at Johns Hopkins Children's Center are warning doctors to be careful about performing CT scans on children.
Because CT scans and other tests that use X-ray technology expose the body to large doses of radiation, too much use can expose kids to cancer, the radiologists said.
Nearly 7 million CT scans are performed on children every year in the United States and many are avoidable, the doctors found.
Children's growing tissues and rapidly dividing cells are more vunerable to the effects of radiation.
Exposure at such a young age also gives cancerous mutations that much more time to develop into full-blown cancer. A single cat scan can deliver a much higher dose of radiation to a small child's body than to an adult.
Parents should ask doctors if there are alternatives to CT scans. The Hopkins doctors recommend alternatives such as MRIs and ultrasounds.
Parents should also let doctors know if their child has had previous CT scans.
(Picture courtesy of Chicago Tribune)
