Paediatric head CT scan and subsequent risk of malignancy and benign brain tumour: a nation-wide population-based
W-Y Huang1, C-H Muo2, C-Y Lin3
11] Department of Radiation Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan [2] Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
Paediatric head computed tomography (CT) scans may increase the risk of benign brain tumors. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm this association and investigate malignancy risks.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Radiology
- Paediatric Oncology
Background:
- Computed tomography (CT) scans are widely used in paediatric diagnostics.
- The long-term risks associated with paediatric head CT examinations require further investigation.
- Understanding potential links between medical imaging and subsequent health outcomes is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between paediatric head CT scans and the risk of developing malignancy or benign brain tumors.
- To evaluate the correlation between the frequency of CT examinations and subsequent tumor risk.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 24,418 children under 18 who underwent head CT between 1998-2006 was identified from Taiwan's NHIRD.
- Participants were followed until diagnosis of malignancy/benign brain tumor, NHI withdrawal, or end of 2008.
- Comparison was made with an unexposed cohort to determine risk differences.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in overall cancer risk was observed between exposed and unexposed cohorts (HR=1.29).
- A significantly higher risk of benign brain tumors was found in children who had head CT scans (HR=2.97).
- The frequency of CT scans showed a strong correlation with the overall risk of malignancy and benign brain tumors.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric head CT examination is associated with an increased incidence of benign brain tumors.
- The study highlights a potential link that warrants further investigation.
- A larger-scale study with extended follow-up is recommended to validate these findings and explore malignancy risks.
Background:
To evaluate the possible association between paediatric head computed tomography (CT) examination and increased subsequent risk of malignancy and benign brain tumour.
Methods:
In the exposed cohort, 24 418 participants under 18 years of age, who underwent head CT examination between 1998 and 2006, were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Patients were followed up until a diagnosis of malignant disease or benign brain tumour, withdrawal from the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, or at the end of 2008.
Results:
The overall risk was not significantly different in the two cohorts (incidence rate=36.72 per 100 000 person-years in the exposed cohort, 28.48 per 100 000 person-years in the unexposed cohort, hazard ratio (HR)=1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.90-1.85). The risk of benign brain tumour was significantly higher in the exposed cohort than in the unexposed cohort (HR=2.97, 95% CI=1.49-5.93). The frequency of CT examination showed strong correlation with the subsequent overall risk of malignancy and benign brain tumour.
Conclusions:
We found that paediatric head CT examination was associated with an increased incidence of benign brain tumour. A large-scale study with longer follow-up is necessary to confirm this result.
