“Can a CT scan affect early pregnancy?”

Prefer not to do a CT in early pregnancy unless there is a medical necessity. Head and neck and chest CTs would have minimal exposure to the pelvis which can be shielded. Abdominal and pelvic CTs would have a higher risk. Risk to fetus is minimal but not zero in the first trimester. An MRI or ultrasound could be a substitute, but not always. If there is a significant medical problem the CT may need to be done. You would probably need to sign a consent if pregnant and could talk to the radiologist about possible risks.

CT abdomen and pelvis should not be used in pregnancy unless absolutely necessary to preserve the health of the mother. Radiation to the fetus, especially in the first trimester, has the possibility of increasing the risk of fetal anomalies and increasing the lifetime risk of cancer development in the delivered child.

Yes, it can. There are theoretical risks of radiation to the fetus. The thought is an all or non phenomenon before 16-18 weeks. Meaning it does not cause congenital abnormalities to the fetus, but can cause loss of the pregnancy in theory. Although this may be frightening physicians do not typically order imaging on pregnant women flippantly. There usually is a clinical indication and the study truly does need to be done. If your physician recommends a CT scan, it is important to inform them if you are pregnant. Do not be surprised if the study still needs to be performed in many clinical scenarios.

It is important to note the laymen’s understanding of radiation exposure is usually off. Most people think that any radiation exposure is bad. That actually is not our present understanding. For example, individuals who live in brick houses or are airline pilots have a much higher radiation exposure than the general population. What is interesting about those individuals is they actually have lower mortality rates.

Sincerely,

Clay Hinrichs, MD