This is one test to avoid at all costs. Whole-body CT scans trigger many false alarms and can expose you to cancer-causing radiation. The scans are often touted as a way to detect early signs of cancer and heart disease. But most scans, and up to 80% of those in older people, will find at least one abnormality. The vast majority of them are harmless, yet about a third of patients are referred for follow-up imaging, according to a 2013 study authored by Air Force researchers, And whole-body CY scans expose you to much more radiation than regular CT scans.
One study calculated that for every 1,250 45-year old adults who have the exam, one will die of cancer as a result. And it’s unclear whether any lives will be saved.
Source: Consumer Reports on Health March 2015