There is evidence that various types of ionizing radiation may cause leukemia in humans. The development of leukemia depends on the dose of radiation absorbed by the body, and can be induced by moderate or high doses of radiation to the whole body or parts of the torso. Whether small doses of radiation can cause leukemia remains uncertain.
CT is a form of X-ray imaging, and X-rays are high-energy particles that disrupt the body’s cellular function and metabolism as they penetrate the body.
- If the dose is low, it will only have short-lived effects that the body can repair on its own and are relatively harmless.
- If the dose of X-rays is high, it can damage genes and produce a variety of harmful biological effects, and as the dose of radiation increases, so does the chance of biological effects and the chance of leukemia.
However, most current clinical CT examinations are performed at low doses and at frequencies that fall well short of the cumulative doses that cause disease. Therefore, a single factor in routine CT examinations does not trigger leukemia.