WIRED Staff

Obesity Can Obscure Medical Exams

You've heard of the increased risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and other health problems associated with obesity. Now HealthDay reports that obesity is also obscuring medical scans like X-rays and ultrasound. In yet another example of how obesity is playing havoc with Americans' health, a new study finds that the number of inconclusive diagnostic imaging exams has […]

You've heard of the increased risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and other health problems associated with obesity. Now HealthDay reports that obesity is also obscuring medical scans like X-rays and ultrasound.

In yet another example of how obesity is playing havoc with Americans' health, a new study finds that the number of inconclusive diagnostic imaging exams has doubled in the last 15 years -- a phenomenon experts attribute to all those extra pounds."Obesity is affecting the ability to image these people. We're having trouble finding out what's wrong," explained Dr. Raul N. Uppot, lead author of the study, and an assistant radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor in radiology at Harvard Medical School, both in Boston.

The study was published in the August issue of the journal Radiology.

Thanks Lewis!