The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on April 29 it was worried that patients receive too much radiation because of the overuse of computed tomography (CT) scans, proposed measures to apply the technique more sparingly.
The CT imaging technique has increased rapidly in the coming years, the Vienna-based agency said in a statement. But few know that the radiation dose of one such scan is equal to around 500 chest X-rays, raising the risk of cancer if applied repeatedly.
"The medical application of ionising radiation is the fastest growing source of radiation exposure to human beings today," said Renate Czarwinski, head of the IAEA's radiation safety and monitoring section. "We acknowledge the great value of the new technologies, but want to ensure that each and every examination is justified," she added.
A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 suggested that up to 50 per cent of all scans are questionable on the grounds of medical justification.
The IAEA is currently working on developing a smart card that stores information about the doses of radiation a patient receives through X-rays and CT scans. In addition, health professionals and the public should become better informed about the radiation involved in medical treatments, the IAEA urged.
Exposure could be reduced by optimising radiation doses and by using alternatives such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. CT scans are popular because they give sharp three-dimensional views of parts of the human body.