Blog

Auto & Vehicle Accidents

• Vehicle Malfunction Leads to Fatal Accident in Missouri; No Passengers were Wearing Seat Belts

View All

Injured In A Missouri Car Crash: Should You Get A CT Scan?

If you have been injured in a Missouri car crash, your doctor may suggest a CT scan to screen for injury. You may have read that CT scans are dangerous. In 2005, a report in the New England Journal of Medicine raised concerns about the overuse of CT scanning. The authors were concerned that unnecessary exposure to radiation from CT scans could increase cancer risk in the future.

According to the report in the NEJM, about one-third of the 62 million scans performed every year are entirely unnecessary. They are performed by doctors who want to be sure they cover all their bases while examining worried patients who may have no symptoms at all. How do you decide if a CT scan is necessary?

A CT scan differs from a traditional X-ray because it provides doctors with a three-dimensional picture of an injury. When an x-ray taken, the radiation comes from one side and goes to the other. When a CT scan is done, the X-ray tube rotates around the patient. The dose of radiation is 20 to 200 times more than in a traditional x-ray. The long term risk of cancer from this radiation depends on your age and the amount of radiation. Kids are more sensitive to radiation than adults and the risk of cancer decreases with age. For a child, the risk of developing a fatal cancer in the decades after receiving an adult dose of radiation is about 1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000. For an adult, the risk is around 1 in 2,000. For a 80-year-old man, the risk is 1 in 3,261.

A CT scan is far more likely to detect certain types of internal injuries than a traditional x-ray and it can prevent unnecessary medical procedures. It is less invasive than many other medical tests. If you are sure there is an injury or are in a lot of pain and need an immediate diagnosis, a CT scan may be a good idea. The injury may pose a greater danger to your health than the radiation.

If your doctor suggests a CT scan ask him if about the risks and if there are other good options. If your child is getting the scan, ask the technician to use a pediatric dose of radiation. Reducing radiation can further decrease the cancer risk. Keep track of the CT scan and ask your doctor for a copy of the results, so other doctors won't need to repeat the tests.

The Lafayette County, MO auto accident lawyers at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys are not medical professionals and we do not give medical advice. If you have been injured in a Missouri car crash, we can't treat your injuries, but we may be able to help you pay your medical bills. To learn about compensation after a Missouri car accident, contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys at 888-348-2616 and ask to schedule a free consultation with our Lafayette County, MO auto accident lawyers.

Do you need more information about the rights of Missouri accident victims? Download a free copy of our book, 10 Essential Steps You Must Take To Protect Your Injury Claim.

Just Ask

Free Consumer Guides

Testimonials

• I’m highly satisfied, I would call Victor again. I needed his help, and he has been a great attorney. I’m very comfortable recommending victor to other clients. Now that I’m happy with how much he’s helped me, I’m definitely recommending him to anyone that needed his help.
• Heather was very nice and polite and very informative. Heather was very responsive when I asked her questions and very informative. Yes, she was very aggressive with the insurance company. She was very aggressive trying to get a higher amount. Yes she was very nice. She is very informative and knows what she is doing.
• It was great to work with Heather, she kept me informed about everything, the dos and the don’ts and what everything was and kept me on track. she was very professional she told you what was going on, she kept you a breast of everything that was going on, she was an excellent lawyer. Ms Heather and the whole staff at the Accident Injury firm, I would recommend them to anybody across the world, that they are excellent, honest attorneys.

View All

Latest News

• Posted on 5/15/2012Paramedics Injured in Auto Accident Caused by Speeding Motorist Running a Red Light
• Posted on 5/15/2012Three Children Killed in Tragic Accident Caused by Blown Tire on Missouri Highway

View All

FAQs

Auto & Vehicle Accidents

• Why are research and statistics that look at gender differences among drivers important? If I am hurt in an Independence, MO car accident, do the research and statistics matter?

View All

Web Resources

• Auto & Vehicle Accidents

more