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Radiation risks from imaging studies in children with cancer
1Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0106, San Francisco, California 94143, USA. robbinse@peds.ucsf.edu
Pediatric Blood & Cancer
|May 10, 2008
Summary
Children undergoing cancer treatment receive frequent low-dose radiation from medical imaging. This cumulative exposure may increase their lifetime risk of developing secondary cancers.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Radiation Oncology
- Pediatric Oncology
Background:
- Ionizing radiation exposure, even at low doses, is linked to increased cancer risk.
- Common medical imaging techniques like CT, PET, and bone scans contribute to radiation exposure.
- Children with cancer, especially solid tumors, undergo numerous imaging studies during diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate cumulative radiation doses from imaging studies in pediatric cancer patients.
- To assess the potential increase in lifetime cancer risk due to these exposures.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on radiation doses from pediatric imaging.
- Estimation of cumulative radiation doses for children undergoing chemotherapy and/or surgery for malignancies.
Main Results:
- Children with cancer receive significant cumulative radiation doses from serial imaging.
- These estimated doses suggest a potential elevation in their lifetime risk of developing secondary cancers.
Conclusions:
- Frequent low-dose radiation exposure from medical imaging in pediatric cancer patients is a concern.
- Further research and strategies to minimize radiation exposure in this vulnerable population are warranted.
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