Multiple CT scans could raise cancer risk in children

Children who have several CT scans before age 22 could have a slightly increased risk of developing a brain tumor or leukemia, according to a new study.

The study, which was published today in British medical journal The Lancet, found that two or three CT scans could triple a child’s risk for developing a brain tumor and five or 10 CT scans could triple a child’s risk for developing leukemia.

An international team of researchers studied a group of 180,000 children who had CT scans from 1985 to 2002 and monitored the individuals until 2008. The researchers found that 74 subjects were diagnosed with leukemia and 135 subjects developed brain tumors.

CT scans for children typically are used to detect brain, neck or spinal injuries.