Doctors from Memorial University of Newfoundland warn that too many unnecessary CT scans are being performed in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to a report published February 5 by CBC News.
More than 100,000 scans are conducted in the province every year, with a rate of 219 tests per 1,000 people, said Dr. Pat Parfrey, clinical director of Choosing Wisely Newfoundland and Labrador. This rate is the highest in Canada -- 47% higher than the country's average of 149 per 1,000 people, the CBC report said.
CT overuse arises from the ordering of unnecessary tests and an increasing availability of the technology, Parfrey said. But unnecessary scans bring radiation exposure risk and should be evaluated, especially in children and adolescents, according to the CBC article.
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
