Ionising radiation in diagnosis: do the risks outweigh the benefits?

Every diagnostic test in medicine has costs and potential benefits. Doctors must ensure that the benefits of each test performed outweigh the costs, which include financial considerations and risks to the health of the patient. The possible adverse effects of some invasive tests such as biopsies may be well understood, but for others the risks are not so obvious or immediate. Seemingly "non-invasive" tests involve the use of ionising radiation and carry the risk of causing malignant tumours. This risk is widely underestimated in medical practice in Australia, and it is the responsibility of the radiological community to demonstrate that commonly performed investigations result in a net benefit to patients.