Risk Assessment
This article was originally published in SRA
Executive Summary
UK public health body highlights risks of asymptomatic CT scanning
UK public health body highlights risks of asymptomatic CT scanning
The UK Health Protection Agency has expressed its support for recommendations that the commercial use of X-ray computed tomography scanning on asymptomatic individuals be stopped because of potential radiation risks1.
A report by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (Comare), an independent expert government advisory committee, says that the regulation of CT scanning by private health services should be reviewed and recommends that patients should receive information regarding dose and risk of the CT scan, as well as rates of false negative and false positive results2.
Medical exposures to radiation comprise about 14% of the average annual dose of radiation to the UK population, Comare notes. While it is recognised that technical innovations could lead to greater diagnostic accuracy, the committee warns that greater accuracy does not outweigh the risks of greater radiation doses as a result of scanning.
Comare recommends that commercial services offering whole body CT scanning to people who have no symptoms of illness should stop doing so; individuals displaying symptoms and requesting a CT scan from a commercial service should not be scanned and should be referred back to their general practitioner. The committee also advises that CT should not be used for assessing spinal conditions, body fat and osteoporosis in asymptomatic individuals. Scanning for lung conditions was also found to be of no benefit. However, the committee found that CT scanning for cardiovascular risk is beneficial, as is CT colonography.
The committee says that commercial CT scan services should have well-developed and confidential mechanisms for integrating examination results into an established care pathway and ensuring that data is consistent with National Health Service IT programme formats.
References
1. HPA press release, 19 December 2007, www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles/press_releases/2007/071219_CT_scanning.htm
2. Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment, Twelfth Report, www.comare.org.uk/documents/COMARE12thReport.pdf