Mike Barrett: CT Scans in Children on the Rise, Prompting Radiation Fears

CT scans have been working really hard to claim their spot in emergency rooms as a routine test. As if going to an emergency room weren't bad enough already, with the excessive waiting and increased chance to contract some type of illness, new people have a nice dosage of radiation to look forward to. Both adults and children are being urged to have CT scans in order to pinpoint any possible problem. The problem is that with the combination of every medical device and technology around us, people are being experiencing very high radiation exposure levels, especially children. One study shows that children in pediatric emergency rooms are receiving an incredible amount of CT scans now, compared to years ago. In 1995, the number of CT scans given to children in pediatric emergency rooms was 330,000. Compare that to the 1.65 million CT scans given to children in 2008, and we're looking at an increase of five times. Although the population has increased, there is no reason for CT scans to be administered nearly as much as they are: Children aren't necessarily getting injured more, leading to a necessary CT scan. Technology has simply advanced so much that the imaging rate has gone up on modern scanners, causing an increase in radiation levels and radiation exposure!