Unnecessary CT Scans
When you go to the hospital, you should be able to trust your doctors and medical technicians with your life. However, sometimes medical professionals make mistakes or commit negligent acts. One such mistake is recommending that you undergo too many CT scans. Since a CT scan involves up to 500 times more radiation than an X-ray, too many scans can increase your risk of getting cancer.
If you have suffered from the effects of too many CT scans, your doctor may have committed medical malpractice. Contact the Philadelphia medical malpractice attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 215-238-1130 as soon as possible to discuss your potential medical malpractice case with one of our attorneys, free of charge.
Unnecessary CT Scan Statistics
Recent medical findings presented at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine found that the average patient is subjected to 45 mSv (millisieverts) of radiation in a CT scan, compared with 0.02 mSv of radiation in an X-ray. Disturbingly, 12% of these patients get 100 mSv or more of radiation from CT scans. In a review study in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was found that:
- Up to 1/3 of all CT scans are unnecessary
- 30% of patients were on their 3rd scan
- 7% of patients had 5 or more scans
- 4% of patients had more than 9 scans
There is a 1 in 2,000 chance that adults could develop cancer from CT scan radiation in their lifetime. Children have an even greater risk because their cells undergo more rapid division and they have a longer life expectancy.
Contact Us
Large pieces of equipment that emit radiation can be dangerous to patients if they undergo too many scans. If you fear that you have been put through too many unnecessary CT scans, contact a Philadelphia medical malpractice attorney of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 215-238-1130 today.