To Scan or not to Scan: Consideration of Medical Benefit in the Justification of CT Scanning.

While there are ongoing debates with regard to the level of risk, if any, associated with medical imaging, the benefits from medical imaging exams are well documented. This forum article looks at outcome-based medical studies and guidance from expert panels in an effort to bring the benefits of medical imaging, specifically CT imaging, into focus. The position is taken that imaging, medical, and safety communities must not continue to discuss small hypothetical risks from ionizing radiation without emphasizing the large well-documented benefits from medical imaging exams that use ionizing radiation.