After a hard fall, a computed tomography (CT) scan can seem like a lifeline. In minutes, the scan can rule out a brain bleed or another hidden injury. The technology now anchors pediatric care, guiding decisions on concussions, appendicitis, and cancer.
A new study found that CT scans may carry hidden costs. About one in 10 blood cancers among the children and adolescents studied—roughly 3,000 cases—may be attributable to imaging radiation, according to one of the largest studies to date linking medical radiation to childhood leukemia and lymphoma.
