Summary: Pediatric Exposures To Ionizing Radiation

In the dental setting the main concern is the dental radiation effects on children. Panoramic dental x-rays can cause DNA damage and cellular death in oral mucosa cells of these children. Cone-beam CT scanner, which was claimed to be the safe, is harmful on children due to them being more susceptible to radiation effects. Children are by far more susceptible to changes in their cells from a given dose of radiation compared to adults because they are still growing, developing, and changing. Radiation protection is needed to protect all children and adults from the exposure, the less the exposure the less problems later in life.

study has shown that children under the age of eight absorb twice the amount of radiation

Radiology Technologist have been around for almost a century. “Radiology Technologist works in various places taking diagnostic imaging examinations for patients, which are x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, and mammography.” (eHow) This job is one of the few in the world that can give the risk of cancer to the rad-techs. And is stilled one of the most needed in the medical field. Radiology Technologist needs to understand computers and what the x-rays show, and how to set up a patient for and x-ray to be taken. Radiology Technologist are one of the highest paid in the medical field. This is because the job has more risk than any other job in the medical field. The radiology technologists have used x-rays for what has almost been in use

The article Radiation Protection of Medical Staff1 looks at the various occupational hazards medical imaging personnel face on a day to day basis. As technology has improved over the years, there has been an increase in the number of medical imaging procedures in which medical imaging staff must stay in the room or near the patient when the radiation exposure takes place. Because of this, medical imaging personnel could be at a substantial risk of occupational exposure to radiation and they must be aware of the proper actions and steps that are in place to keep their occupational exposure dose as low as reasonably achievable.

Studies show that between 140 and 280 deaths had happened form radiation exposure alone. Survivors showed a greater-than-usual incidence of leukemia early on, and an ever-increasing rate of other types of cancers as the years wears on, much greater

That is 4.5 years’ worth of background radiation1 (10). With pediatric patients receiving multiple exams, this amount of radiation can quickly add up and cause serious concerns later in life.

The study found fathers who had high ionizing radiation dose recordings prior to conception, their children had an increased RR of 6.42 95% CI (1.57 to 26.3) when compared to the control population additionally the study also found children living near the plant had a increased RR of 2.44 95% CI (1.04 to 5.71) while control children had a protective affect with a RR of 0.17 95% CI ( 0.05 to 0.53) (Gardner 1990 endnote

The estimated rates of exposure, stated previously, is important for estimating short and long term effects on the exposed populations. Especially the exposed children, because they are at higher risk for future radiation exposure effects, as explained by the Law of Bergonie and Tribondeau. The exposed children need to be monitored because they will most likely require treatment, as they get older due to their sensitive thyroid

The amount of radiation people are being exposed to is continuously increasing. Medical imaging plays a big role in this increase, mostly being CT scans. This increase is radiation has been a concern to the public because of the risks patients face. It can result in long-term harm, such as increasing their chances of developing cancer. The concern has been more focused on pediatric patients because of their bodies’ greater sensitivity and they would have a longer amount of time they would have to embody any changes. Four societies started the Image Gently campaign to raise awareness of the need to decreases radiation doses when performing medical scans. Image Gently’s goal is to reduce unnecessary exposure to pediatric patients and was considered

The article’s title, key points and the authors’ proposals related to this significant issue are professional interests of mine. Performing daily CT procedures on the pediatric population is one of my main job responsibilities. The authors provided numerous clinical examples, critical and ample sample evidence from radiation-exposed populations and alternatives procedures to support and acknowledge that CT is often overused. The authors provide the percentages of CT procedures performed and study conclusions, but they did not reveal their methodology and instrumentation approaches. The content in the article is significant, but the authors’ data collection lacks evidence and

Knowledge of the adverse effects of radiation is important because most, if not all, of the human population has been exposed to radiation at one point in their life. It is also important for people to know what they can to protect their bodies from

Alpha particles however do not penetrate skin directly, but when deposited internally (e.g. by inhalation) they are about 20 times more damaging than other type of ionizing radiation. However the unattached radon decay products may cause more adverse effects than radioactive material in attached state [ref]. These actually induce lung cancer by damaging the branchial epithelium because they remain in lungs for adequate time to result in significant decay. The risk factor increases with increase in the dose received. If it starts receiving at the younger age the probability of damage of branchial epithelium is

Shortly after Roentgen discovered x-rays in 1895, studies were done observing “the transfer of energy from the beam of radiation to the biologic system and the … effects of this interaction”, becoming the basic principles of radiation oncology (Frank et al, 2012, p. 469). As people were experimenting with the new founded x-ray, scientists began to notice the immediate and delayed effects of radiation (Frank et al, 2012, p. 469). Two of the main effects that were noticed were “epilation (loss of hair) and erythema (reddening of the skin)” (Frank et al, 2012, p. 469). These reactions were the cause of the skin absorbing the photons during the exams performed. During this time, the cause of diseases was unknown, so, the number of increased reported skin reactions were seen as evidence that x-rays could provide treatment to many diseases (Suit & Loeffler, 2011, p. 13). Radiation was then used to treat superficial abnormalities, such as “excessive hair, acne, and boils [to] malignant diseases such as lupus vulgaris and skin cancer” (Frank et al, 2012, p. 469). In Connecticut in January 1902, Skinner began treating a woman diagnosed with a malignant fibrosarcoma leading to the “first reported curative treatment using ionizing radiation” (Frank et al, 2012, p. 469). Over the course of two years and three months, the woman was exposed to x-rays a number of 136 times, and after seven years the woman was considered “cured” (Frank et al, 2012,, p. 469). The discovery of radium in 1898

Is it safe for pregnant patients and technologists to be exposed to radiation and what techniques can be used to minimize the risks? Radiologic Technology is a rising field that provides us with many different ways to view inside the human body without having to actually be invasive. Diagnostic imaging has many beneficial aspects. Although no amount of radiation is considered safe with the proper protection and dosage we can minimize the effects to little or none at all.

The effects of ionizing radiation include cell death, chromosomal aberrations, DNA damage, mutagenesis, and carcinogenesis and these are caused due to the direct ionization of cell structures, specifically DNA, or result indirectly due to the reactive oxygen species produced by radiolysis of water. The main contributing factor to such effects is the irreparable or misrepaired DNA damage in cells.( Desouky et al, 2015)