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Alarm about computed tomography scans is unjustified

Richard M Mendelson, Richard A Fox and Nicholas H de Klerk
Med J Aust 2010; 193 (4): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03884.x
Published online: 16 August 2010

To the Editor: Blecher correctly asserts that alarm is not the appropriate reaction to the potential dangers of computed tomography (CT) scans.1 Such alarm risks discouraging patients from having the CT scans they need. Appropriate CT scans are good; inappropriate ones are bad.


  • 1 Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA.
  • 2 University of Western Australia, Perth, WA.
  • 3 Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth, WA.



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  • 4. Frush DP, Donnelly LF, Rosen NS. Computed tomography and radiation risks: what pediatric health care providers should know. Pediatrics 2003; 112: 951-957.
  • 5. Pierce DA, Shimizu Y, Preston DL, et al. Studies of mortality of atomic bomb survivors. Report 12, Part 1. Cancer: 1950–1990. Radiat Res 1996; 146: 1-27.
  • 6. Golding SJ, Shrimpton PC. Radiation dose in CT: are we meeting the challenge? Brit J Radiol 2002; 75: 1-4.
  • 7. Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency. Code of practice: radiation protection in the medical applications of ionizing radiation. Canberra: ARPANSA, 2008. (ARPANSA Radiation Protection Series No. 14.) http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/rps/rps14.pdf (accessed Jul 2010).

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