Korea’s Diagnostic Boom Brings New Questions About Radiation Safety (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — The use of computed tomography (CT) scans in South Korea has risen steadily in recent years, even as many patients remain poorly informed about medical radiation exposure and its potential health risks, according to a new survey released by the national health insurer.
The National Health Insurance Service said an online survey of 1,880 adults conducted in September found that while general awareness of medical radiation has improved, misconceptions remain widespread.
Nearly 88 percent of respondents said they had heard of medical radiation, up from a 2023 survey, but more than 70 percent mistakenly believed that magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, involves radiation exposure. MRI scans rely on magnetic fields, not radiation.
CT usage, meanwhile, has climbed sharply. Over the past five years, from 2020 to 2024, the number of people undergoing CT scans increased by 27.5 percent to 7.54 million annually, while the total number of scans rose by more than a third to 14.74 million.
The number of individuals exposed to more than 100 millisieverts (mSv) of radiation per year — a level associated with a higher cancer risk — grew nearly 38 percent over the same period.
International radiation protection bodies report that while there is no fixed upper limit for medical radiation exposure, cancer risk is estimated to rise by about 0.5 percent once cumulative exposure exceeds 100 mSv.
In South Korea, the average annual radiation dose among people who have undergone CT scans was 2.1 mSv, exceeding exposure levels typical for airline crew members and even radiation workers.
A CT scan in progress
Health officials warned that a single abdominal CT scan can expose a patient to roughly 6.8 mSv of radiation — dozens of times higher than the annual exposure of many radiation workers.
In extreme cases reported in the media, patients who underwent more than 100 CT scans in a single year were estimated to have absorbed radiation levels several hundred times higher than occupational exposure averages.
In response, the National Health Insurance Service said it would intensify efforts to improve public understanding of medical radiation risks. Since January, patients have been able to review their medical imaging histories through the insurer’s website and mobile application.
“The medical environment is increasingly reliant on imaging,” said Jung Ki-sun, president of the insurance service. “But patients must also be informed. We will strengthen public outreach so people can better understand radiation exposure and make informed decisions about their care.”
The findings highlight a growing challenge for South Korea’s Democratic Party–led government as it seeks to balance advanced diagnostic medicine with patient safety and informed consent.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
