New questions about CT scan overuse

CT technology is only 40-years-old, but its use has exploded - about 80 million CT scans are now done every year.

Consumer Reports says their ability to look inside the body can be invaluable. However, when they are misused, it can have serious consequences.

Consumer Reports Medical Advisor Dr. Orly Avitzur says, "It's estimated that CT scans may be responsible for at least 2 percent of future cancers in the United States, resulting in 15,000 deaths a year."

Just one CT scan can expose you to as much radiation as 200 chest x-rays.

But according to a Consumer Reports survey, just 15 percent of patients were warned by a doctor of the radiation risks of medical imaging.

Ellen Kunes, Consumer Reports health editor, tells us, "Another factor in the overuse of CT scans are doctors who own their own CT equipment. They have a tendency to order more CT scans than doctors who don't."

Consumer Reports say patients should always ask why a CT scan is necessary, and whether tests like ultrasound or an MRI, which don't emit radiation, could be just as effective.

Dr. Avitzur says, "Once you do get a CT scan, be sure to get a copy of it so you don't undergo repeat, unnecessary testing when you go to a new doctor or specialist."

Consumer Reports also urges people to avoid the "whole body" scans that are touted as a way to detect cancer early. They expose you to more radiation, and often lead to unnecessary follow-up tests.

Philadelphia-area doctors say they have largely fallen out of favor in this area.

One CT scan worth having, however, is the low-dose CT test being recommended to smokers and ex-smokers to look for lung cancer.

Studies have shown the lung cancer screenings can save lives.