The Wire

CT Scans are known for saving lives, however a new report has found that they actually cause brain damage and leukaemia. The Lancet, a British medical journal, released the concerning report yesterday explaining that CT scans can triple the risk of these cancers in children.

The ionising radiation is produced by X-rays in the CT scans and because it’s highly energetic, it can cause DNA damage. Children who have two to three CT scans could be at risk of brain cancer and those who have five to ten could be at risk of leukaemia. They would affect the child about ten years after the scans, however the report notes that the chances are still quite small.