Soft Kill

Kids are receiving more CT scans than ever, but is radiation risk worth it? — 

There has been a steep increase in the number of CT scans given to children in emergency rooms across the U.S., mostly for "kids presenting with belly ache," but the appendicitis rate hasn't budged. Findings published today in the journal Pediatrics detail the spike in use of x-ray-based scans, which are associated with concerns over cancer risks down the road. Study lead Dr. Jahan Fahimi,quoted in Reuters: "For every six or seven kids that go to the ER for belly ache, one is going to get a CT scan." — Xeni
http://boingboing.net/