title: Analysis of risk in computerized tomography and other diagnostic radiology procedures.
abstract: Medical practice entails continuous risks to the patient taken in good faith by the physician for the benefit of the patient. Risk of radiation induced cancer death approximates 10(-4) per cGy (rad). Assuming an average whole body dose of 0.1 cGy for many diagnostic X-ray procedures, the probability of radiation-induced cancer death is about 10(-5). The purpose of this paper is to compare the risks of common diagnostic X-ray procedures including computerized tomography (CT) with risks of smoking or automobile travel. Such comparisons should be constructive in putting radiation in perspective and facilitating explanation of risk/benefit to patients.
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects