![]() Harvey Eisenberg, founder of the Healthview Center for Preventative Medicine in Newport Beach, CA, said in an interview with USA Today that the country's approach to medicine should be shifted from reactive to proactive. Thomas Shope, a special assistant at the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, told the FDA panel that the average whole-body CT scan delivered 0.2 to 2.0 rads" ( Reuters Health, May 18, 2001).ĭr. The dose for a whole-body scan could be as high as 1,000 mrem.ĭr. The dosage for a two-view mammogram is about 20 mrem. In May, the FDA questioned the justification for exposing the public to risky levels of radiation at boutique clinics, especially because the exams are not diagnostic but are merely for routine health screening.Īccording to one analysis at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, a two-view chest x-ray results in an effective dose of 5 mrem to the patient. The discovery of a lesion or benign mass could set individuals on a treadmill of expensive follow-up tests and invasive procedures, only for them to discover there is nothing wrong.įinally, radiation dose is still a controversial issue. The 99% of healthy adults, who are not benefited, may actually be harmed by being subjected to the diagnostic pursuit of inconsequential findings," said Stanley, who also is the chairman of the department of radiology at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.Īnother problem is that false positives may appear on the scans that aren't indicative of any disease. "In my opinion, based on epidemiological data, a fraction of 1% of asymptomatic adults may ultimately benefit from these 'whole-body CT scans,' performed without the significant additive role of intravenous contrast media. Only two or three cases of cancer may be detected when looking for every cancer in several hundred healthy people, he said. The resort also offers Doppler echocardiography and carotid artery imaging, with same-day results in most cases.ĭespite the mushrooming popularity of whole-body CT centers, Stanley warns that the scans are a low-yield endeavor. The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV, followed suit and recently installed an Imatron ultrafast CT scanner for cardiac screening at its West Virginia facilities. The Holistica Hawaii Health Center at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa in Honolulu, installed an EBT scanner at its facilities last year, becoming the first in a resort setting. Resorts and spas are also jumping on the preventive medicine bandwagon. The imaging company recently opened a center in San Jose, CA, and plans to open six more in Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and Kansas City, MO.Īccording to the AmeriScan Web site, cancer screening and shopping go hand-in-hand: "Patients can enjoy the environment of the mall while they wait for their scan, or dine at one of the many fine restaurants to celebrate taking charge of their own health," the site says. ![]() The scans are very popular, and the community is really into it," said Trish Flynn, scan manager of BodyScan Imaging in Scottsdale, AZ.Īt its Scottsdale location, AmeriScan has an imaging center in the Scottsdale Fashion Square shopping mall right next to Neiman Marcus. It's rather steep, but nonetheless it's a proactive approach into their health," said Laurie Higgins, a representative for HeartScan's Walnut Creek facility. I've had a lot of patients call and inquire about our prices. ![]() The company plans to open three more California-based centers in Sacramento, San Jose, and Monterey next year. HeartScan, a South San Francisco-based imaging company and former subsidiary of electron beam CT developer Imatron, currently has full-body CT centers in Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Walnut Creek, CA. At its annual business meeting this week in San Francisco, the ACR will address the issue during a session entitled "Total Body Computed Tomography (CT) Examinations." A special focus session at the 2001 RSNA conference in Chicago also will also take up the matter, addressing topics such as the potential harm and benefit of screening, and how informed decision-making on the part of patients can affect the screening process.ĭespite organized radiology’s attempt to put the brakes on yuppie scans, business continues to boom as whole-body imaging centers crop up across the country. ![]()
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