CT Scans in Children can Raise Risk of Cancer: Study

Children exposed to radiation from CT scans are at a risk of developing cancers associated with the radiations, according to a new study. Researchers found that the use of computed tomography (CT) scans of the head, abdomen/pelvis, chest or spine in children has increased substantially in the past few years.

The use of CT in both adults and children has increased eight-fold since the 1980s. Currently, about 5 to 9 million CT examinations are performed annually in the U.S. CT remains as the largest source of medical-related radiation for the U.S. population.

The ionizing radiations from these scans are higher than radiography and are known to increase the risk of cancer. Children are especially vulnerable to developing such complications, researchers said. Since children have a longer life expectancy, there is enough time for the cancer to develop and spread.

"The increased use of CT in pediatrics, combined with the wide variability in radiation doses, has resulted in many children receiving a high-dose examination," the study noted.

The study was conducted by researchers from University of California, Davis, and colleagues who looked at records of CT scans in children younger than age 14. They then estimated the risk of these children developing cancer.

Researchers found that the risk of cancer was higher for children who underwent CT scans for abdomen/pelvis or spine when compared with children who had CT scans to other parts of the body. Also, girls and young children were more likely to develop cancer than older children or boys.

Over 4,800 future cancers could be associated with CT scans performed on children. Researchers also found that cutting the radiation dosage could cut the risk of cancer by 43 percent.

"Thus, more research is urgently needed to determine when CT in pediatrics can lead to improved health outcomes and whether other imaging methods (or no imaging) could be as effective. For now, it is important for both the referring physician and the radiologist to consider whether the risks of CT exceed the diagnostic value it provides over other tests, based on current evidence," the study concluded.

The study is published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.