Studying Cancer Risks Associated with Diagnostic Procedures — Interpret Wisely

Improvements in medical-imaging technology and approaches have substantively advanced diagnosis, screening, and treatment for a wide range of health conditions. Many medical-imaging applications confer clearly established benefits, yet some lack strong evidence or provide little gain (e.g., repeating initial diagnostic examinations). Long-standing concerns about overuse are illustrated by persistent variation in rates of medical-imaging use.1 These concerns are particularly relevant for ionizing radiation–based imaging (e.g., computed tomography [CT] and fluoroscopy), which has the potential for harm because ionizing radiation is a well-established carcinogen. However, the magnitude of cancer risks that is associated with low-dose medical exposures has long been uncertain. . . .