Study warns CT scan overuse could lead to 100,000 future cancer cases in US

Overuse of CT scans in the US may cause more than 100,000 future cancer cases, including 9,700 in children, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers from institutions in the UK and US analyzed data from 93 million CT scans performed in 2023, highlighting the cancer risks associated with ionising radiation exposure.

While CT scans are vital diagnostic tools, the study warns that their rising use—up 30% since 2009—could result in radiation-induced cancers accounting for 5% of all cases in the US, matching levels linked to alcohol.

Researchers stressed the importance of using CT scans only when medically justified, with radiation doses adjusted by age and body area. They also criticized private clinics offering whole-body scans to healthy individuals, calling them potentially harmful.