FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |   Search Term  Advanced Search

Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe

Previous Volume 357:2277-2284 November 29, 2007 Number 22 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

	Full Text PDF PDA Full Text PowerPoint Slide Set CME Exam Letters Add to Personal Archive Add to Citation Manager Notify a Friend E-mail When Cited E-mail When Letters Appear PubMed Citation

The advent of computed tomography (CT) has revolutionized diagnostic radiology. Since the inception of CT in the 1970s, its use has increased rapidly. It is estimated that more than 62 million CT scans per year are currently obtained in the United States, including at least 4 million for children.¹

By its nature, CT involves larger radiation doses than the more common, conventional x-ray imaging procedures (Table 1). We briefly review the nature of CT scanning and its main clinical applications, both in symptomatic patients and, in a more recent development, in the screening of asymptomatic patients. We focus . . . [Full Text of this Article]

CT and Its Use

Common Types of CT Scans

Radiation Doses from CT Scans

Quantitative Measures

Typical Organ Doses

Biologic Effects of Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation

Mechanism of Biologic Damage

Risks Associated with Low Doses of Radiation

Cancer Risks Associated with CT Scans

Conclusions

Source Information

From the Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Brenner at the Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Medical Center, 630 W. 168th St., New York, NY 10032, or at djb3@columbia.edu.

Related Letters:

Computed Tomography and Radiation Exposure
Tubiana M., Nagataki S., Feinendegen L. E., Dimitroyannis D. A., Frush D. P., Goske M. J., Hernanz-Schulman M., Soyer P., Varnholt H., Brenner D. J., Hall E. J.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2008; 358:850-853, Feb 21, 2008. Correspondence

This article has been cited by other articles:

• HALL, E J, BRENNER, D J (2008). Cancer risks from diagnostic radiology. Br. J. Radiol. 81: 362-378 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Levin, B., Lieberman, D. A., McFarland, B., Smith, R. A., Brooks, D., Andrews, K. S., Dash, C., Giardiello, F. M., Glick, S., Levin, T. R., Pickhardt, P., Rex, D. K., Thorson, A., Winawer, S. J., for the American Cancer Society Colorectal Cancer, (2008). Screening and Surveillance for the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer and Adenomatous Polyps, 2008: A Joint Guideline from the American Cancer Society, the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer, and the American College of Radiology. CA Cancer J Clin 58: 130-160 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Jett, J. R., Midthun, D. E. (2008). Commentary: CT Screening for Lung Cancer--Caveat Emptor. The Oncologist 13: 439-444 [Full Text]  
• Masciari, S., Van den Abbeele, A. D., Diller, L. R., Rastarhuyeva, I., Yap, J., Schneider, K., Digianni, L., Li, F. P., Fraumeni, J. F. Jr, Syngal, S., Garber, J. E. (2008). F18-Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Screening in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. JAMA 299: 1315-1319 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Douglas, P. S., Redberg, R. F., Blumenthal, R. S., Ambrose, M. (2008). Imaging for Coronary Risk Assessment: Ready for Prime Time?. J Am Coll Cardiol Img 1: 263-265 [Full Text]  
• Peart, O. (2008). Low Dose, High Quality Possible. radtech 79: 371-372 [Full Text]  
• Wood, B. P. (2008). CT Scans and Radiation Exposure. AAP Grand Rounds 19: 28-29 [Full Text]  
• Horwich, A. (2008). Stage I seminoma and carboplatin risks. Ann Oncol 19: 407-408 [Full Text]  
• Strauss, H. W. (2008). Radiation Dose From Adult and Pediatric Multidetector Computed Tomography. JAMA 299: 962-963 [Full Text]  
• Tubiana, M., Nagataki, S., Feinendegen, L. E., Dimitroyannis, D. A., Frush, D. P., Goske, M. J., Hernanz-Schulman, M., Soyer, P., Varnholt, H., Brenner, D. J., Hall, E. J. (2008). Computed Tomography and Radiation Exposure. NEJM 358: 850-853 [Full Text]  
• Goske, M. J., Applegate, K. E., Boylan, J., Butler, P. F., Callahan, M. J., Coley, B. D., Farley, S., Frush, D. P., Hernanz-Schulman, M., Jaramillo, D., Johnson, N. D., Kaste, S. C., Morrison, G., Strauss, K. J., Tuggle, N. (2008). The Image Gently Campaign: Working Together to Change Practice. Am. J. Roentgenol. 190: 273-274 [Full Text]  
• Sorensen, A. G., Heiss, W.-D. (2008). Advances in Imaging 2007. Stroke 39: 276-278 [Full Text]  
• Rex, D. K., Imperiale, T. F., Regula, J., Polkowski, M., Glaser, D. S., Butterly, L. F., Pohl, H., Kim, D. H., Pickhardt, P. J. (2008). CT colonography versus colonoscopy for the detection of advanced neoplasia.. NEJM 358: 88-89 [Full Text]  
• Schoenhagen, P. (2008). Back to the future: coronary CT angiography using prospective ECG triggering. Eur Heart J 29: 153-154 [Full Text]  
• (2007). What's new in the other general journals. BMJ 335: 1178-1179 [Full Text]  
• (2007). Radiation Exposure from CT Scanning. JWatch General 2007: 2-2 [Full Text]