Best of JAMA 2025: Episode 2:Projected Lifetime Cancer Risks From Current Computed Tomography Imaging

This research study evaluates the health impact of medical imaging by predicting that the roughly 93 million CT scans performed in 2023 will lead to approximately 103,000 future cancer cases. While younger patients face a higher individual risk from ionizing radiation, the sheer volume of procedures in adults—particularly abdominal and chest scans—is responsible for the vast majority of projected illnesses. By highlighting that these screenings could eventually represent 5% of all new cancer diagnoses, the authors underscore a significant public health challenge regarding the long-term safety and frequency of current diagnostic practices.