How do CT scans actually work, and what can they do that other imaging tests can’t? Computer tomography, CT, is an essential and widely used tool in modern medicine.

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman about her research indicating CT scans, which emit radiation, will cause some 100,000 cases of cancer annually.

However, you might be surprised to learn that getting a cone beam CT scan gives off roughly the same amount of radiation as 6 to 30 days of background radiation from our natural environment.

X-rays and CT scans have revolutionized medicine. Doctors can look inside the body and diagnose diseases even before people feel ill. But medical imaging that uses radiation comes at a cost. A new ...