Study Alarmingly Finds That CT Scans Are Possibly Triggering The Onset of Cancers!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Apr 20, 2025 8 hours, 57 minutes ago
Medical News: A new medical study is sending shockwaves across the healthcare community, warning that one of the most common diagnostic tools used in modern medicine—the computed tomography (CT) scan—may be contributing to a significant number of future cancer cases.
Study Alarmingly Finds That CT Scans Are Possibly Triggering The Onset of Cancers
While CT scans are often seen as indispensable in diagnosing everything from internal injuries to cancers and strokes, a large-scale study led by top researchers from the University of California-San Francisco, University of California-Davis, University of Florida-Gainesville, The Institute of Cancer Research in the United Kingdom, and Kaiser Permanente Washington, USA, has revealed a disturbing possibility. If current CT usage trends persist, the scans could eventually be responsible for nearly 5% of all new cancer cases diagnosed annually in the United States.
This
Medical News report sheds light on a hidden danger behind the widespread reliance on CT imaging. The researchers estimate that the 93 million CT scans conducted in 2023 alone—performed on 62 million individuals—could lead to approximately 103,000 radiation-induced cancer cases in the years to come. That’s more than triple the 29,000 cases estimated in a similar 2009 study, due not only to an increase in scan numbers but also to improvements in the precision of radiation exposure measurements across different organs.
A Silent Risk Hidden in Plain Sight
CT scans, while revolutionary, work by exposing patients to ionizing radiation. Unlike X-rays, which capture static images, CTs create detailed cross-sectional views of the body, but at a much higher radiation dose. And although the risk per scan is considered small, the cumulative effects—especially in frequently scanned populations—are significant.
According to the new risk modeling study, adult patients account for 95.8% of all CT scans, and thus bear the brunt of the long-term cancer burden. Children, while undergoing fewer scans, face a higher cancer risk per scan due to their developing tissues and longer lifespans, which allow more time for radiation-induced cancers to emerge.
The study found that the most common cancers projected from CT radiation exposure include lung cancer (22,400 estimated cases), colon cancer (8,700), leukemia (7,900), and bladder cancer (7,100). In women, breast cancer was also a major concern with around 5,700 cases projected. In children, thyroid cancer topped the list, followed by lung and breast cancers.
Abdomen and Pelvis CTs Pose the Highest Risk
Not all CT scans are created equal in terms of cancer risk. The study’s deep dive into organ-specific radiation exposure showed that CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis accounted for the largest proportion—about 37,500 of the 103,000 projected cases. This is largely because these scans are performed frequently and often involve multiple imaging phases, resulting in higher cumulative radi
ation doses.
For pediatric patients, head CTs were the primary culprit—especially in infants under one year of age—because of the high sensitivity of the developing brain and bone marrow to radiation exposure.
The researchers also discovered that many of the scans likely occurred in patients’ final year of life, when CT imaging may offer limited clinical benefit. After excluding these, approximately 84 million CT scans were included in the cancer risk estimates.
Better Technologies Exist—But Are Underused
The researchers emphasized that CT scans are often life-saving and remain vital in emergency situations and complex diagnostics. However, they warned that many scans are unnecessary and performed without considering safer alternatives such as MRI (which uses no radiation) or ultrasound.
One promising innovation, photon-counting CT scanners, could help reduce radiation doses significantly, but these are not yet widely adopted. The authors recommend that diagnostic checklists and decision tools be implemented to ensure imaging is truly necessary before proceeding with CT.
A Comparison That Should Raise Alarm Bells
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the study is the context in which these numbers are placed. The researchers compared the projected CT-related cancers to other well-known cancer risks. If CT utilization continues at current levels, the number of radiation-induced cancers could rival those caused by alcohol consumption or excess body weight—factors that are already major targets of public health campaigns.
Moreover, the study suggests that the use of multiphase CT scans—where multiple images are taken during a single session—could often be avoided. These scans dramatically increase radiation exposure but are sometimes ordered out of routine rather than necessity.
What the Study Really Means for the Public
Importantly, this study doesn't claim that every CT scan causes cancer, or that individuals should fear a single diagnostic scan. Instead, it highlights a population-level risk: when millions of scans are performed each year, even a tiny individual risk accumulates into a major public health issue.
The research used advanced modeling tools from the National Cancer Institute and radiation risk estimates based on decades of scientific data, including findings from atomic bomb survivors and medically exposed populations. This makes the results highly credible within the field of radiation epidemiology.
In sensitivity analyses accounting for various uncertainties, the projected number of future cancers ranged from 80,000 to as high as 127,000. Even in the most conservative estimate, the implications are serious.
A Wake-Up Call for Smarter Imaging Practices
The study is a clarion call for better justification and optimization of CT scan usage. Hospitals and healthcare systems are urged to implement stricter guidelines to ensure scans are only performed when absolutely necessary.
Clinicians should consider alternative modalities that offer similar diagnostic value without the cancer risks tied to ionizing radiation.
There’s also a push to improve radiation dose optimization across all scan types, especially in high-risk groups such as children and younger adults. Technical improvements, more individualized scanning protocols, and greater awareness can help minimize harm while preserving the life-saving benefits of CT imaging.
Conclusions
This groundbreaking study reveals a hidden danger lurking in the heart of routine modern diagnostics. With 93 million CT scans performed in the United States in just one year and 103,000 projected cancers linked to these exposures, the findings are nothing short of alarming. If nothing changes, CT scans could contribute to as many as 5% of all future cancer cases—putting them in the same risk category as alcohol use and obesity.
While CT technology has undoubtedly saved countless lives, it’s essential to balance its benefits against its risks. Smarter imaging practices, increased adoption of radiation-free alternatives like MRI, and investment in safer CT technologies could dramatically reduce the burden of radiation-induced cancers.
The healthcare community must act swiftly. Physicians, radiologists, healthcare administrators, and policy makers need to reconsider how imaging is used and regulated. The public, too, should be informed and empowered to ask whether a scan is truly necessary, especially when safer options exist. The price of inaction is too high—potentially tens of thousands of preventable cancer cases each year.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2832778
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-medical-news-international-study-shows-that-young-individuals-who-got-ct-scans-have-an-increased-risk-of-developing-cancer
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/another-new-study-confirms-radiation-from-ct-scans-linked-to-increased-risk-of-cancer
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-news-scientists-warn-that-frequent-x-rays-and-ct-scans-may-worsen-covid-19-patients-lung-inflammation
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/thailand-doctors-and-radiologists-find-that-siemens-and-neusoft-ct-scanners-outperform-philips-ct-machines
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