FDA aims to rein in radiation-based medical scans

The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it will work with doctors and manufacturers to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from medical scans, a problem that has been growing for decades. The agency says it will require manufacturers of CT scanners and other imaging machines to include safety controls that prevent patients from receiving excessive radiation doses. A public meeting to discuss the requirements is scheduled for late-March. Regulators are also developing best-practice measures that hospitals and imaging centers will have to meet to retain their scanning accreditation. The proposal is part of a multipronged effort to rein in excessive radiation-based medical scanning, which has mushroomed in recent years.