Prog Med Phys.  2025 Mar;36(1):14-24. 10.14316/pmp.2025.36.1.14.

Estimation of Lifetime Attributable Risks of Cancer Associated with Chest Computed Tomography Imaging

• Kabir S
• Hasan MZ
• Das D
• Raihan M
• Begum A
• Begum A

• KMID: 2566605
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14316/pmp.2025.36.1.14

Abstract

Purpose
The study aimed to measure the radiation-absorbed dose, effective dose, and associated risks of radiation-induced cancers during chest computed tomography (CT) imaging procedures at Square Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Methods
A total of 23 patients were examined using a 64-slice CT scanner and thermolumi nescence dosimeters. The dose-length product was recorded and converted into an equivalent effective dose using age-dependent conversion coefficients for multi-slice CT as provided by the European Guidelines. Organ doses were further converted into lifetime attributable risks (LARs) for cancer incidence and mortality based on data from the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation VII (BEIR VII) report.
Results
The effective dose ranged from 3.1 millisieverts (mSv) to approximately 35.3 mSv. The mean LAR for cancer incidence was 20.6 cases per 100,000 males and 69.3 cases per 100,000 females. The LAR for cancer mortality was 21.5 cases per 100,000 males and 62.0 cases per 100,000 females. Female patients were found to face significantly higher risks than male patients.
Conclusions
The results highlight a noticeable increase in LAR for both cancer incidence and mortality due to chest CT examinations, particularly for female patients. These findings underscore the importance of carefully evaluating the risks associated with CT imaging procedures.

Keyword

Computed tomography; Radiation dose; Effective dose; Lifetime attributable risk; Cancer