Hyderabad: CT scans should be kept to the minimum in children aged below 15 and unnecessary scans must not be carried out on them, the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association said here on Wednesday. The Association has asked all radiologists to be cautious while scanning children and young women.

Radiologists say that every month they refer 20 cases back to clinicians. For example, a large number of 20-year-old women come for mammography. A senior radiologist said, “Small lumps on the breasts of young women could be due to hormonal changes. Mammography can’t be done on them. We just send them back.”

Similarly, CT scan is not necessary for children who have a fall or suffer a mild head injury. Dr L. Vijay Kumar, senior consultant radiologist said, “There are many unnecessary requests from clinicians and we do not entertain them. Parents insist that it has to be done but we tell them the damage radiation can cause. Often, we speak to the clinicians in front of the patient’s relatives so that they will not go elsewhere and get the test done.”

The radiologist cited the case of a four-year-old who fell down from the stairs and suffered a head injury. Instead of giving first aid the child was immediately sent for scanning. But as this happened on the outskirts it got reported late and the radiologist was warned not to take up such cases. The IRIA tells members to avoid this kind of cases as that can harm them in the long run.

Dr Chandrashekar, senior radiologist at Yashoda Hospitals explained, “Children require low dose radiation. In modern scan equipments mechanisms to control the radiation is installed in the software. But at the same time people must obey the doctor when he says no to scans. Many doctors practice defensive medicine and ensure that all scans are done to be on the safer side.”