Lack of Standards in CT Scan Radiation Dosages

Reading between the lines is important when looking at the news. What is presented as positive often attempts to hide a negative that has existed for too long. That is the case with new research from the University of California San Francisco regarding radiation doses for people undergoing CT scans.

It’s been long established that there is a risk associated with the radiation used in these scans. Exposure to radiation causes cancer, and determining safe dosages has been extremely difficult. Certain patients have developed cancer from fairly limited exposure, where some individuals have undergone these tests for years with minimal side effects. Determining the lowest level of radiation that could cause cancer will be an important milestone.

But it turns out that part of the reason determining safe dosages has been difficult is likely because different facilities expose people to different amounts of radiation. The research indicates that these differences in dosages could account for thousands of additional cases of cancer each year. The researchers had multiple hospitals measure radiation dosages, and determined high levels of inconsistencies across facilities.

Knowing how dangerous radiation is, determining how to make sure that all medical establishments providing these tests are minimizing radiation exposure for their patients is critical. Even one unnecessary cancer is too many. But as of yet, there have been few attempts to provide this standardization. Hopefully, a major change is coming soon, but it is too early to tell for certain.

If you or someone you love developed cancer as a result of radiation exposure, determining how much of that exposure was unnecessary is important. Please, retain an experienced attorney who can help you push for those answers, and help you make sure that other patients do not suffer from the same overexposure.