More People Having Special Imaging Scans Despite Physician Groups Recommending Less

BOSTON (CBS) – A new study in JAMA shows more people are having special imaging scans, even though physician groups recommend less.  It's been estimated that 30-percent or more of imaging exams may be unnecessary.

In this study, researchers looked at more than 135 million imaging exams at seven U.S. healthcare systems and in Canada.

They found that while the growth of imaging slowed in the early 2000's, it has crept back up in recent years for CT scans and MRIs among patients of all ages, except children in which CT scanning continues to fall.

The misuse of MRIs and CT scans can lead to incidental findings, overdiagnosis, and patient anxiety.  And while MRIs do not expose patients to radiation, CT scans do, which could increase a patient's risk of cancer.