The low-dose chest CT scans used in lung cancer screening do not appear to damage human DNA, according to a study appearing in the journal Radiology. The results could help allay fears that such screenings will lead to an increase in radiation-induced cancer.
Low-dose CT screening for lung cancer in high-risk patients such as longtime smokers gained favor after the National Lung Screening Trial. The trial reported that use of low-dose chest CT scans could significantly reduce deaths from lung cancer compared to screening with chest X-rays. CT was able to identify cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.