Link between CT scans and blood cancer risk in young patients

Editor's Note

A multinational study has uncovered a clear association between young people’s exposure to radiation via CT scans and increased risk of blood cancer. The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine on November 9. 

• The study looked at data from radiology records of 276 hospitals in nine countries with patients who underwent at least one CT scan before the age of 22 – almost one million people.
• The researchers linked these CT scan records to national cancer registries, identifying those who developed a blood cancer over time.
• Researchers followed individuals for an average of 7.8 years, although in some cases cancer incidence was monitored for more than 20 years after the first scan.
• The results suggest that a typical scan increases the risk of developing these malignancies by about 16%.

The study findings highlight the importance of strict radiological protection measures, particularly in pediatric populations.