The Nationwide Evaluation of X-Ray Trends, Part 2: US Trends for CT

Abstract

The use of CT for routine diagnostic imaging continues to grow, with modern CT equipment capable of providing an ever increasing array of features and tools to aid clinicians. One might even argue that it was the first truly digital diagnostic x-ray imaging modality because of the computational nature of producing a final set of tomographic images. Since its introduction into clinical practice in the early 1970s, CT has become the largest contributor to total collective effective dose in the United States from medical-related sources of radiation dose, with a rate of annual growth greater than 10% between 1983 and 2006 [ 1 National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Ionizing radiation exposure of the population of the United States. Report No. 160. Bethesda, Maryland: National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements; 2009. Google Scholar ].