Medical decision making regarding computed tomographic radiation dose and associated risk: the patient's perspective.

D ue to the increasing availability and recent advances in computed tomography (CT) technology, use of CT has increased. In 2007, approximately 68.7 million CT examinations were performed in the United States. In comparison, in 1995 approximately 21 million CT examinations were performed. Many investigators have expressed concern for the rising cumulative doses of ionizing radiation delivered to patients during these examinations; however, little is known about patients’ feelings concerning CT and the increased radiation exposure. In this study, we sought to evaluate patients’ perspectives about the medical decision-making process regarding obtaining a CT scan and to assess the degree of patient knowledge concerning radiation dose and risk resulting from CT.