Study Links Medical Imaging to Higher Hematologic Cancer Risk in Children
A groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed a significant link between medical imaging and hematologic cancers in children. The research, led by Amy Berrington de Gonzalez and colleagues, suggests that radiation exposure from these procedures may contribute to a higher risk of these blood cancers in young patients.
The study, which followed over 3.7 million children born between 1996 and 2016 in the U.S. and Canada, found that 10.1% of hematologic cancers may be attributable to radiation exposure from medical imaging. This includes a wide range of blood cancers, with lymphoid cancers being the most prevalent. The research highlights the importance of carefully considering and minimizing radiation exposure during pediatric imaging.
Even low doses of radiation, equivalent to one to two CT scans of the head (15 to 30 mGy), were associated with an increased risk of hematologic cancer by a factor of 1.8 to 3.6. The excess cumulative incidence of these cancers by 21 years of age was 25.6 per 10,000 among children exposed to at least 30 mGy. An accompanying editorial noted that these results raise concerns about radiation-related risks beyond acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.
The study provides compelling evidence that ionizing radiation from medical imaging can increase the risk of hematologic cancer among children, even at low doses. It underscores the need for healthcare providers to balance the benefits and risks of medical imaging and to consider alternative imaging methods that do not involve radiation, where possible. Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of radiation exposure in pediatric patients.
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