Study Shows X-Rays and CT Scans May Raise Cancer Risk

According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine a new study shows very disturbin news. The results fo this study show that people who undergo medical imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans have a greater risk of getting cancer.

It has long been established that radiation in large dosis can cause cancer, but it had also previously been established that the radiation dosis in X-rays and CT scans was minimal. This new study took 950,000 patients, where 70% of these had undergone at least one medical imaging process in their lifetime.

The end result of this study showed that people who had undergone some type of medical imaging process had a higher chance of getting cancer of one type or another. Researchers are concerned about this new finding; given that imaging scans are becoming very common place in medical procedures, and might have significant implications in the future of the American Population.

For people that undergo medical procedures it may be necessary to ask about the true necessity of an X-ray or CT scan, before undergoing one. This would be a simple precautionary measure. This is not to say that X-rays and CT scans are not necessary, in fact they have often saved lives, but they do need to be used more carefully.