CT scan radiation worries

[jamie_h]

Hi all,

I have a particular worry and hoped you could provide some rational advice as doctors/radiologists/experts/fellow worriers, and it will stop me scouring the internet for all sorts of answers.

I had a CT scan of my head done in 2006 (when I was 31), and another in 2009 (when I was 35) - both were needless in hindsight. Late last year, some reports came out about the risk of radiation-induced cancer being higher than originally thought. This, of course, has set off a fixation chain of events in my mind, and at times I'm convinced that I've done myself irreparable damage and am doomed to have a horrible cancer as a result.

Anyway, could you possibly give me an idea of the dose of radiation I would've received and an idea of the *actual* risk?

I'm just after some peace of mind.

Thanks,

Jamie

[Garry Choy, MD, MS]

I would not be personally concerned if I received these 2 head CTs -- I am highly confident that the total dose you received is minimal and would not result in cancer.

[jamie_h]

Hi there,

Thanks again for getting back to me.

Seeing that they were non-contrast scans, do you think that I should be able to get on with life with some degree of confidence that cancer won't result from the 2 scans? Can I assume it won't happen?

Would you personally be concerned if you had received the scans?

Thanks,

Jamie

[Garry Choy, MD, MS]

You can tell if it was a perfusion scan or contrast scan if they gave you an IV and injected a special agent/fluid (contrast) -- if you got no IV, then it is a regular non-contrast scan.

[jamie_h]

Hi there,

Thanks for getting back to me.

I believe it was just a regular head scan - it was a brief procedure and I wasn't given anything.

How can I tell if it was a contrast or perfusion scan - is anything different with them from a regular scan?

Thanks again.

[Garry Choy, MD, MS]

Were your CT scans performed without contrast?  And were they not "CT perfusion"?  If they were CT perfusion scans of the brain, then the radiation dose is high.

However, if you had regular head CT scans, then the radiation dose is low and you have very low exposure.  The risk is difficult to estimate accurately without knowing what they actually did for the scan but I can reassure you that if they were regular non-contrast head CT with just one pass through the head each time, then the dose you have is well below the risk for causing cancer, hair loss, or any other radiation-induced illness.

Hope this helps.   best regards,
GC