Risk of cancer increases with exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging, study finds

Risk of cancer increases with exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging, study finds
Exposure to low-dose radiation from cardiac imaging and other procedures after a heart attack is associated with an increased risk of cancer, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

The use of procedures with low-dose ionizing radiation, such as computed tomography (CT) angiography and nuclear scans, is increasing which has led to mounting concern in the medical community that patients may be at increased risk of cancer. For patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, the trend towards increased use of these procedures is particularly strong. In many centres, these procedures are replacing those that do not use radiation, such as stress tests on exercise treadmills and echocardiography. However, little is known about the effects of exposure to radiation and the risk of cancer.