Breast Cancer - limit X-rays or CT scans

 

Limit Medical X-rays or CT Scans

A recent joint study by the Institute of Medicine and the Susan G. Komen Foundation found that the biggest and most overlooked contributor to breast cancer isn’t pesticides or BPA but ionizing radiation from unnecessary tests like X-rays and CT scans. “A CT scan has a significant amount of radiation, and there are people who pay cash to get one every year,” says Dr. Dietz. But before you go swearing off hospitals, know this: The World Nuclear Association says 100 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation a year is the lowest level known to increase the risk of cancer. A single CT scan yields one-fifth of that, at 20 mSv. Other diagnostic tests that emit lesser amounts of ionizing radiation include X-rays, nuclear medicine tests and fluoroscopy. The airport body scanner provides a measly 0.000005 mSv per scan. Dr. Dietz’s advice: Always ask if a test is necessary, and see whether alternatives like an MRI or ultrasound might work as well. Sometimes these studies are necessary to save a life, and the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. But having a scan simply to alleviate your worries may do more harm than good.
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