Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study

CT scans or computed tomography uses X-rays to make detailed pictures of bones and soft tissue inside the body. Using ionized radiation, the CT scans present potential cancer risks on children who are more radio-sensitive than adults. The risk of developing leukemia or brain tumors has been assessed through a cohort study.

In this study, more than 355000 children and teens in the UK have considered for a follow-up after their CT scan test. The brain and the red bone marrow absorption of the doses per CT scan has been estimated to assess the incidence of leukemia and brain tumors. The follow-up for leukemia started 2 years after the first CT scan and the follow-up for the brain tumor started 5 years after the first CT scan to avoid any inclusion of CT scans.

The study has shown that the children who have been exposed to 60 milligrays of radiation had triple chances of developing a brain tumor. On the other hand, the exposure to a cumulative of 50 milligrays of radiation results in a triple risk of getting leukemia which is a cancer of white blood cells in the bone marrow. Since these diseases are rare, the cumulative absolute risks of developing a brain tumor or leukemia are small. Even though the clinical benefits of the CT scan outweigh the small risk, the doses of CT radiation should be maintained as minimum as possible. The doctors should also consider ultrasound or MRI whenever it is possible to avoid any radiation’s long term effects.

I chose this article because the CT scan is being used a lot for medical diagnosis. Of course, the CT scan test is very beneficial for the diagnosis of several conditions, however, efforts should be made to ensure that the patients are getting appropriate tests and also to ensure that their health is not at risk of any complications in the future.

http://www.sciencedirect.com.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/science/article/pii/S0140673612608150