What to ask your doctor about scans

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updated 5:54 p.m. ET Nov. 28, 2007

Some experts recommend that people keep a diary of any tests they or their children get involving radiation, because risk accumulates over a lifetime. Here are questions for any doctor who recommends a computed tomography, or CT scan:

How will my medical care be affected by the results? Will the scan determine my treatment?
What about alternatives like ultrasound or MRIs?
How about just waiting? What are the risks of not doing the test?
Does any research show this test will help me or lessen my chances of dying?
Is this being done to diagnose a specific problem? (CT scans for people with no symptoms are not recommended).
Is more than one scan truly necessary?
Is the facility accredited by the American College of Radiology?
What is being done to make sure I receive the lowest possible radiation dose?
Does this center regularly do scans on children and follow guidelines for adjusting doses to reduce radiation?

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