Are cat scans dangerous?

Radiation: If the ct is for a good reason it can be very helpful. A diagnostic ct can be 100x the radiation of a chest x ray. As such, pts and physicians should be mindful of how many ct they get.

Generally, no: Ct (cat) scans use ionizing radiation to create images of the body. While there are known risks associated with higher doses of radiation (mostly cancer risks), the risks tend to be fairly low overall (depending on how much radiation and how early in life the exposure happens). To minimize exposure, it is best to do ct scans only when there is a good reason. Used thoughtfully, ct is quite safe.