To the Editor: Alarm about the dangers of computed tomography (CT) scans1,2 is unjustified. The only hard facts about bio-harm from ionising radiation come from the 1945 atomic bomb explosions, which emitted very large amounts of radiation. Bio-harm from low-dose medical radiation has never been confirmed; the claim is based on backward extrapolation of data on radiation doses from the Japanese atomic bombs, which were orders of magnitude greater than doses in diagnostic radiation.
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- Epworth Hospital, Melbourne, VIC.
Correspondence: carl.blecher@gmail.com
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- 2. Metherell M. Overuse of scans causes cancers. Sydney Morning Herald 2010; 15 Mar. http://www.smh.com.au/national/overuse-of-scans-causes-cancers-20100314-q675.html (accessed May 2010).
- 3. Tubiana M, Feinendegen LE, Yang C, Kaminski JM. The linear no-threshold relationship is inconsistent with radiation biologic and experimental data. Radiology 2009; 251: 13-22.
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- 5. Health Physics Society. Radiation risk in perspective: position statement of the Health Physics Society (adopted Jan 1996, revised Aug 2004). McLean, Va: Health Physics Society, 2004. http://www.hps.org/documents/risk_ps010-1.pdf (accessed May 2010).
- 6. Berrington A, Darby SC, Weiss HA, Doll R. 100 years of observation on British radiologists: mortality from cancer and other causes 1897-1997. Br J Radiol 2001; 74: 507-519.
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