WASHINGTON: CT scans used throughout the NHS can damage DNA and kill cells, a study has found.
Whether the harmful effects increase the risk of cancer remains unclear, but scientists stress they are “not benign”.
Experts who examined the blood of heart patients undergoing CT (computed tomography) scans found evidence of DNA damage and cell death.
The activity of cell repair genes was also boosted and although most of the damaged cells managed to repair themselves, a small percentage died.
Dr Patricia Nguyen, from Stanford University in the US, said: “We now know that even exposure to small amounts of radiation from computed tomography scanning is associated with cellular damage.
“Whether or not this causes cancer or any negative effect to the patient is still not clear, but these results should encourage physicians toward adhering to dose reduction strategies.”
CT scans produce 3D X-ray images showing structures such as organs, blood vessels, bones and tumours in great detail.
But the radiation doses are much higher than those of a standard X-ray, leading to concerns about the possible risk of cancer.
A single CT scan exposes a patient to at least 150 times the amount of radiation from a single chest X-ray, according to the study authors.
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