As the use of CT scans in children – especially multiple scans – is increasing, so is concern about the long-term risks of CT radiation exposure.
There are approximately 7 million CT studies performed in children every year in the United States, and the number is increasing approximately 10% per year, according to the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, a consortium of 63 professional societies representing the fields of radiology, pediatrics, and medical physics and radiation safety.
In a 2012 British study of children from birth to age 21 years who underwent multiple CT scans in 1985-2002, the researchers found a small increased risk of leukemia and brain tumors a decade after the first scan. They estimated that for every 10,000 head CT scans performed on children 10 years of age or younger, one case of leukemia and one brain tumor would occur in the decade following the first CT beyond what would have been expected if the children had no CT scans.
But the physicians involved in this study and others are quick to emphasize the benefits of CT scans: that these scans are extremely important in early diagnosis, clinical decision-making, and for saving lives. But much needs to be done to make sure all CT scans are justified and to reduce the doses of radiation associated with them.
The Food and Drug Administration is working to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure for children on several fronts, through recommending manufacturers design new X-ray imaging devices – including CT scanners – to address pediatric safety issues or by writing new safety training materials that emphasize dose reduction for children on existing equipment.
Read a news article in the Washington Post.