CT SCANS

I just read that CT scans are harmful to your body. This article scares me because I have had a number of CT scans since I’ve had part of lobe taken out for cancer.
Research published in JAMA Internal Medicine (April 14, 2025) projected the number of future cancers due to radiation exposure from computed tomography (CT) examinations. The investigators used data from the University of California San Francisco International CT Dose Registry and modeled the effects of the radiation.

They estimated that approximately 103,000 cancers are likely to result from the 93 million scans conducted in 2023 on 60 million people. The risks are highest in children and adolescents, but many more adults undergo CT scans.

The scientists conclude that:

“CT is frequently lifesaving, yet its potential harms are often overlooked, and even very small cancer risks will lead to a significant number of future cancers given the tremendous volume of CT use in the United States.”

“In this study, approximately 5% of annual cancer diagnoses or 100 000 cancers were projected to result from CT utilization in 2023. Despite public attention to the potential adverse effects, CT use has grown significantly in the United States since 2009. In 2023, 93 million CT examinations were performed in the United States; in 2007, the number was 68.7 million—a 35% increase incompletely explained by population growth. Justification of use and optimization of dose, including consideration of the need for multiphase examinations, are the tenets of CT imaging and must be applied uncompromisingly to mitigate potential harm.”