A Call to (Imaging) Action

If you have been following along over the years or even the last few months, you are aware of my concerns regarding over radiation from medical testing or imaging. I blogged about it most recently after the President's Cancer Panel released an annual report and that post can be found here.

On June 23, 2010 an editorial written by Rebecca Smith-Bindman (MD) from the University of California called for regulation of the radiation or imaging industry. The recommendation is based on much of the same information that I have shared with you over this past year. Dr. Smith-Bindman does mention the actions that some organizations have begun to take to protect patients from over radiation but notes that there is no standardized method to do so and that there should be. A few points from her article are powerful enough to repeat in full. She said that sometimes the scans completed and the doses of radiation that they impart may not be based on "scientific evidence of improved clinical outcomes." In other words, sometimes the clinician or the company that made the machine is using a lot more radiation than necessary to enhance the quality of the image, but the image with less quality and thus less radiation would show the same clinical indication. In that case, there would be no treatment difference from using the SAFER scan. She also said, "Studies have consistently shown that physicians know little about radiation doses or cancer risks from medical imaging." Because of this I implore you to be mindful of your own health and ask about these tests before you succumb to them.

There are times when a CT scan is absolutely necessary to save your life please understand that. Also understand that the machines are not always calibrated and even calibrated ones may offer doses of radiation that exceed what is necessary. In fact, there isn't a recognized notion of what IS necessary. I agree with Dr. Smith-Bindman that the FDA should have a mandate to cover this issue but I also urge that the mandate come with authority to enforce the regulations and a budget with which to do so.

The article is only three pages long and the beginning tells a story that is worth a read. Please check it out here.