Whole-body computed tomography screening:  looking for trouble?

Anderiesz, Cleola; Elwood, J Mark; McAvoy, Brian R; Kenny, Lizbeth M

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06291.x

Topics

Diagnostic techniques and procedures

The benefits of whole-body CT screening need to be carefully weighed against the risks

1 National Cancer Control Initiative, Carlton, VIC.
2 Division of Oncology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD.

Correspondence:

1. Margo J. Full-body scans fail to reveal whole picture. Australian Financial Review 2003 Aug 14; 59.
2. Holtz A. Whole-body CT screening: scanning or scamming. Oncol Times 2003; 25: 5-11.
3. Swensen SJ. Screening for cancer with computed tomography. BMJ 2003; 326: 894-895.
4. Johns Hopkins Health After 50. A full body scan for everyone? 2002. Available at: www.hopkinsafter50.com/html/newsletter/2002/ha0402_Feature.php (accessed Jul 2004).
5. NSW Environment Protection Authority. Information on whole body scanning. 2003. Available at: www.epa.nsw.gov.au/radiation/ctbodyscans.htm (accessed Aug 2004).
6. US Food and Drug Administration. What are the radiation risks from CT? 2002. Available at: www.fda.gov/cdrh/ct/risks.html (accessed Jul 2004).
7. Wise KN. Solid cancer risks from radiation exposure for the Australian population. Australas Phys Eng Sci Med 2003; 26: 53-62.
8. Berrington de Gonzalez A, Darby S. Risk of cancer from diagnostic X-rays: estimates for the UK and 14 other countries. Lancet 2004; 363: 345-351.
9. Radiation Health and Safety Advisory Council. Council advice on the use of radiation in preventative medicine. 2002. Available at: www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/rhsac/st1_aug02.pdf (accessed Jul 2004).
10. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists. Total body CT screening. 2002. Available at: www.ranzcr.edu.au/open/policies/diagnostic_imaging/pol2_2.htm (accessed Jul 2004).
11. American College of Radiology. ACR Statement on CT screening exams. 2002. Available at: www.acr.org/dyna/?doc=departments/pub_rel/press_releases/total-bodyCT.html (accessed Jul 2004).
12. American Association of Physicists in Medicine. CT body scan not scientifically justified for asymptomatic patients. 2002. Available at: www.aapm.org/announcements/CT.html (accessed Jul 2004).
13. NSW Health. New penalties to control whole body CT scans. 2003. Available at: www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/2003/June/08-06-03ct.htm (accessed Jul 2004).

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.