Computerized tomographs (TC) are a vital part of modern medicine. Present in all hospitals and in many clinics, they offer doctors a rapid and detailed vision of the interior of the body, which helps to diagnose all types of cancer, from cancer and stroke to internal injuries. However, a new study suggests that our growing dependence on this technology could have a hidden cost.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, warns that the computerized tomographs made in the US only in 2023 could eventually generate more than 100,000 additional cases of cancer. If the current rhythm of carrying out tomographs are maintained, the researchers affirm that the TC could be responsible for around 5% of all new cancers diagnosed every year.
This figure has raised concern, especially if one takes into account that the number of computerized tomographs made in the US increased 30% in just over a decade. In 2023, approximately 93 million TC were made to 62 million people.
The risk of a single computerized tomography is low, but not null. And the younger the patient is, the greater the risk. Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable because their bodies are still in development and any damage caused by ionizing radiation may not manifest until many years later.
That said, more than 90% of computerized tomographs are carried out in adults, so it is this group that faces the greatest general impact. The most common cancers related to exposure to computerized tomography are those of lung, colon, bladder and leukemia. In the case of women, breast cancer is also an important concern.
What makes this last estimate so surprising is its great increase. In 2009, a similar analysis projected around 29,000 future cancers related to computerized tomographs. The new figure is more than triple, not only because of the increase in computerized tomographs, but because the most recent investigations allow a more detailed analysis of exposure to radiation in specific organs.
The study also makes a striking comparison: if the situation continues, cancers related to computerized tomography could match the amount of cancers caused by alcohol or overweight, two well -known risk factors.
Not all explorations carry the same level of risk. In adults, it is believed that abdomen and pelvis explorations are the ones that contribute the most future cases of cancer. In children, the computerized head tomographs are those that raise the greatest concern, especially in babies under one year.
You are interested: New version of Merck drug against cancer glimpse Legal battle by patent
Despite the risk of cancer, TC are still essential
Despite all this, doctors emphasize that computerized tomographies often save lives and remain essential in many cases. They help to detect early conditions, guide treatment and are crucial in emergencies. The challenge is to make sure they are only used when they really need.
The newest technologies could help reduce the risk. Photons counting scanners, for example, manage lower doses of radiation, and magnetic resonances do not use radiation at all. Researchers suggest that a better use of diagnostic verification lists could also help doctors to decide when an exploration is necessary and when a safer alternative, such as magnetic resonance or ultrasound, could be sufficient. It should be noted that this study does not prove that computerized tomographs cause cancer in individual people. Estimates are based on “risk models”, not on direct evidence. In fact, the American School of Radiology indicates that no study has linked the computerized tomographies directly with cancer in humans, even after multiple explorations.
Even so, the idea that radiation can cause cancer is not new. It has a scientific foundation. And with the large number of explorations that are made, even smaller risks can accumulate.
Computerized tomographs save lives, but are not exempt from risks. As medical technology evolves, the way we use it should also evolve. By reducing unnecessary explorations, using safer alternatives whenever possible and maintaining as low as possible radiation doses, we can ensure that computerized tomographs remain more beneficial than harmful.
With information from The Conversation.
Do you like to inform yourself for Google News? Follow our showcase to have the best stories
