One of these studies, already published in the year 2000 (Spine, Morin Doody et al, Volume 25(16) August 15, 2000), was conducted with 5,573 females aged 20 and younger from 14 orthopedic medical centers in the United States who had been diagnosed with scoliosis between 1912 and 1965. Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side, and may also be rotated. The goal of the study was to evaluate breast cancer mortality patterns among women with scoliosis and the risks associated with diagnostic radiographic exposure. Doody and coworkers showed that exposure to multiple diagnostic radiographic examinations during childhood and adolescence may increase the risk of breast cancer among women with scoliosis. Even if this study addresses radiology exams taken on older technology, the issue is still relevant, as scoliosis patients usually receive repeated radiographic exams and CT scans for therapy and treatment. As scoliosis generally is diagnosed even before adolescence, these susceptible young patients are already exposed to relatively high radiation doses during their growth period.

As discussed in an other recently published study (Hall et al., British Journal of Radiology 81, 362-378, 2008), the relevant organ doses during CT scans are in the range for which there is now direct credible epidemiological evidence of an excess risk of cancer, without the need to extrapolate risks from higher doses. However, even for high-dose radiological procedures, the risk to the individual patient is small, so that the benefit/risk balance is generally in the patients' favour. Concerns arise when CT examinations are used without a proven clinical rationale, when alternative modalities could be used with equal efficacy, or when CT scans are repeated unnecessarily. According to this study, it is assumed that about one-third of all CT performed in the US could be avoided using alternative diagnostic tools. According to Hall, "at this time, the benefit/risk balance for any of the commonly suggested CT screening techniques has yet to be established."

Page 2 of 2 :: First | Last :: Prev | 1 2 | Next