The majority of physicians who order CT scans have little knowledge of the radiation risks associated with the exams, according to a study to be presented at next week's American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) meeting in Boston.
Dr. Jeremy McBride, Dr. Ben Paxton, and colleagues from the Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA, based the findings on radiation dose surveys received from more than 100 physicians.
The survey results showed that 63% of responding physicians underestimated the radiation dose of abdominal-pelvic CT expressed in chest radiograph equivalents. And while 80% said that a single abdominal-pelvic scan can increase cancer risk, 74% of those respondents significantly underestimated those risks based on medical literature. Just 20% of respondents said that the radiation risk of CT exams was part of their disclosure to patients.
When referring physicians were asked if radiation exposure and cumulative prior exposure influenced their decision to order a CT scan, 48% and 59%, respectively, said these factors had little or no effect on their decision.
"Most of the time, when a CT scan is ordered it can be justified," McBride said. "When a CT is appropriately ordered, patients should be aware that the examination has been recommended based upon its diagnostic value and that radiation exposure will be minimized."
Radiation education should be part of the discussion at all levels of the medical education system, including the training of medical students and residents, and to practicing physicians at conferences, McBride added. Patients, too, should be made to feel comfortable asking doctors about radiation risk, he said.
Related Reading
Higher cancer risk seen in frequently scanned patients, March 31, 2009
Study evaluates radiation dose, cancer risk for whole-body PET/CT, May 9, 2008
Researchers recommend alternatives to CT, April 15, 2008
CT often unjustified in the young; German pediatricians lack dose awareness, March 10, 2009
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