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Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

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Literature Selections

CT Imaging Increases Lifetime Cancer Risks

May 13, 2025

Smith-Bindman R, Chu PW, Azman Firdaus H, et al. Projected Lifetime Cancer Risks from Current Computed Tomography Imaging. JAMA Intern Med. 2025; in press.

Richman IB, Katz MH. Balancing Computed Tomography's Benefits with Radiation Risks. JAMA Intern Med. 2025; in press.

The authors used CT imaging data from a single academic medical center over the interval 2018–2020 to estimate the risk of radiation-induced cancer. Ionizing radiation models created by the National Research Council were used to estimate radiation exposure levels.

Among the 93 million CT examinations performed in 2023, an estimated 103,000 CT radiation-related cancers were projected to occur. Cancer risk was higher in children and adolescents, but most cancer diagnoses were predicted to occur in adults. Lung, colon, and bladder cancer along with leukemia were the most common malignancies expected. The largest number of cancers was predicted to result from CT examinations of the abdomen and pelvis.

The authors concluded that if current practices continue, CT related cancers will be 5% of the annual cancer diagnoses in the US.

In their editorial, Richman and Katz noted that CT usage could be reduced by using point-of-care algorithms to identify patients at low risk for a condition requiring CT imaging for diagnosis. Offering imaging modalities such as ultrasound and MR imaging is another alternative. Finally, increased usage of digitization and low radiation dose CT imaging will reduce radiation exposure.

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