Many Patients Are Unaware Of Risks Linked With Medical Scans

More than half of people who undergo medical scans such as X-rays do not know if they are exposed to radiation and many have unanswered questions even as they are waiting to undergo the test, a small U.S. survey found.

Previous studies have shown that when patients have more information and can share in the decision-making process, they have less anxiety and more satisfaction with their treatment, the study authors write in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

The study team recruited 176 patients who were waiting to have medical imaging scans, including CT and nuclear medicine scans, which involve radiation, and MRI and ultrasounds, which do not.

Dr. Andrew Rosenkrantz, lead author, told Reuters Health that while the United States performs a high volume of medical scans, many patients are not informed about what the tests entail.

"We did this study seeking to gain insights into just how well patients understood their own tests that they were about to undergo," Rosenkrantz, an associate professor of Radiology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said in an email.

"It is concerning that there is a big group of patients that seem to not have the awareness of radiation exposure that they are or are not experiencing with this imaging," says Dr. Michael Zwank, a physician at Regions Hospital in Saint Paul, Minn., who was not part of the survey study, according to the Tech Times.

Rosenkrantz said he agrees.

"Patients should also feel comfortable asking about logistics of the exam, ranging from what exam is being performed, which body part is being evaluated, the reason for the exam," he said.