Use with Caution

US physicians are urging doctors to prescribe virtual scans of the heart, lungs and full body, more judiciously as radiation emissions are fairly high on scans. The doctors are recommending that people who do not have high risks: family history of cancer or heart disease, smoking, poor diet and health, and above the age 50 should not be getting scanned yearly. potential patients with such risk factors, should maintain their regiment of getting checked annually, since early detection is vital to survival; especially for lung cancer, heart disease, and colorectal cancer. Reuters released a report saying, "The American Heart Association urged doctors to weigh risks and benefits carefully in ordering diagnostic tests such as computed tomography, or CT, angiograms and nuclear stress tests in order to minimize the doses of ionizing radiation." Patients should be consulting their physicians in order to better assess their risk and chances of getting heart disease or lung cancer, because such scans are noted for their early detection and aid in preventing such malignant diseases.