Ct Scan Observation

During my observation at Aultman North, I learned that the CT scanner is a large white machine with a giant hole in the center, as you can see in the image here (“Computed Tomography”, 2013). There is a table that the patient lays on that goes into the machine, and the patient has to stay there until the
CT Tech giving a patient an abdominal scan shown here. scan is over, which only takes about five minutes. “CT scans are performed to analyze the internal structures of various parts of the body” (Stӧppler, 2015). This explains that CT scans deal with internal organs in the body, and a doctor can’t see internal organs without this test being done. All of them were on different areas of the body, so it was interesting to see the variation
“Children are also highly sensitive to radiation and so CAT scans should not be done on children without absolute need” (Ryan, 2015). This shows that children are very sensitive to radiation and should not be exposed to it because of a CT scan unless it is very important. “Like X-rays and PET scans, CT scans use ionizing radiation, which can damage DNA and cause cancer” (Boodman, 2016). This explains that CT scans use this radiation, and it can be so harmful that if used too heavily, can potentially cause cancer. One reason this is becoming such an issue today is because the amount of scans is increasing dramatically. In the United States alone, there were about 85 million scans done in 2011 compared to only 3 million in 1980 (Boodman, 2016). This shows that CT scans are becoming a more popular diagnostic tool in the United States as the years go on, and that is probably why the radiation exposure is becoming the huge issue that it is. Also, people are starting to go through multiple scans in a short amount of time, which would add to the radiation exposure. Boodman (2016) states that a study conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston in 2009 showed that out of 31,000 patients that had a CT scan done, 33% of them had gone through more than five. This explains that a large number of people have gone through multiple CT scans, and they will be exposed to more radiation and have an increased risk of cancer. “Doctors who have a financial stake in radiology clinics or who own scanners use imaging substantially more often than those who don’t, studies have found” (Boodman, 2016). In some instances, because of money, some doctors will push overuse of CT scanning in their hospital. That is a problem because more testing results in more radiation exposure which causes a potential increase in cancer caused by radiation. Another reason radiation is becoming an issue in CT scanning is because patients are unaware. “One-third of people getting a CT scan