Certain Tests in ERs Raise Cancer Risk for Some

A new research suggests that long-term buildup of radiation resulting from repeated emergency room X-rays and scans may be placing some patients at an increased risk for developing cancer.

At issue are routine testing procedures — currently in widespread use in hospitals across the United States — that emit a certain degree of ionizing radiation. Such procedures include both standard X-rays and more sophisticated CT scans, as well as nuclear medicine screenings where tiny amounts of radioactive material are swallowed and followed throughout the body.