CT screening leaves trail of false positives

June 2, 2009 One-third of CT screenings result in false positives, according to a new government study of smokers.

Researchers at the National Institute of Health say false positive results can lead to unnecessary and potentially harmful follow up tests.

False alarms also cause anxiety that can impact a patient's well-being.

The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.