[ RadSafe ] Medical News: Prenatal X-Ray Exposure Not Significant Cancer Risk

[Cary Renquist]

So, when a study is a bit more rigorous and doesn't rely on the memory
of parents/etc, there is no statistically significant evidence of an
increased risk...

Medical News: Prenatal X-Ray Exposure Not Significant Cancer Risk - in
Radiology, Diagnostic Radiology from MedPage Today 
http://j.mp/hiVuDJ


In-utero exposure to x-rays may be tied to an increased risk of
childhood cancer, but the relationship isn't significant, researchers
found.
In a case-control study, there was a 14% increased risk of all cancers
in childhood among children who'd been exposed to radiation during
gestation, but the confidence intervals straddled one, rendering the
risk nonsignificant, Preetha Rajaraman, of the National Cancer
Institute, and colleagues reported online in BMJ.
Overall, the researchers found a slight but not significant increase in
risk for all cancers after in-utero exposure to x-rays (OR 1.14, 95% CI
0.90 to 1.45).
The same was true -- including the nonsignificance -- for leukemia alone
(OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.91 to 2.02).

Still, they concluded that the study suggests "the need for cautious use
of diagnostic radiation imaging procedures to the abdomen or pelvis of
the mother during pregnancy and in children at very young ages."

The findings are relevant, they added, "given the growing use of
diagnostic examinations, especially computed tomography scans, in
children."


Cary
--
Cary.renquist at ezag.com