Lifetime Cancer Risk Estimates Attributable to Current CT Imaging Techniques

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Sorena Nadaf

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Apr 14, 2025, 4:23:12 PMApr 14

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Important JAMA Study on CT Scan Radiation Risk

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2832778

A recent JAMA paper presents a compelling risk model estimating that the 93 million CT scans performed on 62 million individuals in the U.S. in 2023 could result in approximately 103,000 future cancer cases due to radiation exposure. While children face higher individual risk, adults account for the vast majority of projected cases, reflecting their predominant use of CT imaging. The most common projected cancers include lung, colon, leukemia, and bladder, with breast cancer notably prominent among women. CT scans of the abdomen, pelvis, and chest were identified as the largest contributors to cumulative radiation risk. These findings highlight a significant public health concern—if imaging practices remain unchanged, CT-induced cancers could represent up to 5% of all annual cancer diagnoses in the future.