Computerized tomography, also known as a CT scan, has been used since 1971 to detect disease in people and provide guidance as to how the disease should be treated. A CT scan is generally considered safe to use; so safe that doctors consider it one of their most trusted pieces of medical equipment. This x-ray procedure is painless and commonly used in hospitals. During the scan, several images are taken. After this occurs, a computer organizes the images into detailed pictures of bone, tissue, and blood vessels.
When a patient undergoes this procedure, he or she is exposed to a small amount of radiation. This radiation is used to take a picture of the patient's internal organs. Once the scan concludes, no traces of radiation remain within the body. The image captured by the CT scan is an accurate, detailed picture that permits the doctor to diagnose and pinpoint an array of medical conditions.
As technology has improved throughout the decades, so has the performance of the CT scan. The images that newer scans create are so detailed that less radiation is required. Despite the benefits of the scans, some scientists worry that the increased use of this equipment can lead to more cases of cancer. Since large amounts of radiation have been known to cause cancer, some scientists feel these scans are being used too much.
Scientists and doctors have differing opinions as to the safety of CT scans. Doctors are convinced of its benefits because only a small amount of radiation is used in a scan. To date, no cases of cancer have been linked to the use of CT scans. In fact, many doctors feel that the benefits of using the equipment far outweigh the potential dangers of using them. This is because the radiation doses used in the scan are lower than those that have been actually linked to cancer.
Despite these facts, patients are discouraged from requesting a scan unless they display symptoms that would benefit from being studied through images captured by a CT scan. The scans are not infallible, however. Diseases like diabetes can't be diagnosed by reviewing a CT image. If a patient is scheduled to have a CT scan, he or she should consult with the doctor to determine why the doctor has recommended one. Although doctors consider the procedure risk-free, this doesn't mean that radiation should be used without good cause.
