Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Scams
Don't Get Taken By Full Body Scans
Susan Mills-Gray, Nutrition Specialist, Cass County Extension Center, University of Missouri Extension
A soccer player claims that a full body CT (computed
tomography) scan found a heart condition, another ad claims
that a woman found out she had a uterine tumor - a tumor
that her doctor and mammogram had failed to find. If you've
listened to a radio station or read the Kansas City Star in
the last few months, then you've surely heard that a
full-body CT scan offers peace of mind. These scans obtain
cross-sectional images of the heart, lungs, liver and other
organs, as well as soft tissues, bones, and blood vessels.
This technology is already widely used for diagnosing
specific problems, but using this test for the "worried
well" has become a medical industry explosion! The test
typically costs $1000 plus and most insurance won't pay for
it. But if you can afford it, isn't it a good investment?
The Radiological Society of North America and the American College of
Radiology, organizations of professionals most likely to
benefit financially from full body scans, DO NOT recommend
them. Nor do the American Cancer Society or the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA). Why? While CT scans are useful in
diagnosis of specific illnesses when there are symptoms or
reasons for testing, the pictures in a full-body scan are
usually not as high in quality or resolution as those
ordered for a specific reason.
Peace of mind isn't a likely outcome of a full body scan. Such scans
certainly cannot detect high blood pressure or diabetes,
which are the most important risk factors for heart disease
and stroke. These scans can't screen for the most two common
cancers: breast and prostate. These scans most often uncover
harmless abnormalities. The only way to find out if the
abnormality is cancer is via a possibly painful and
expensive biopsy. Or maybe you'll be told to wait and come
back for more scanning in a few months. On the other hand, a
scan that finds nothing suspicious can give you a false
sense of security.
One other issue that raises concern is the amount of radiation for the
X-ray scans. Perhaps the radiation from one full body scan
won't harm you, but when the benefits are so uncertain, why
risk it?
All of us in the health world are supporters of taking a preventive, proactive approach to health - but proactivity, when it comes to this test, means saying no! Regular exercise, regular check-ups, and good eating habits are a better, cheaper way to ensure peace of mind than a scan.
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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