Re: MEDHP-SEC: Re: Breast Cancer High in X-ray Techs Before1950

[Ted de Castro <tdc@XRAYTED.COM>]

Interesting - Dale's articles of '51 and '52 refers to the "new"

shielded tubes.



I have a historical reference by Grieg - "Trail of the Invisible Light"

- I'll look there.



My gut feeling is that you are right and this has always bothered me.



In any event - things were very different then - so the report is not

surprising!



"Gibbs, S Julian" wrote:

> 

> I think your dates are in error by more than 20 years.  I started

> in 1952; shielded tubeheads had been around for a number of years

> at that time.  However beam collimation was almost nonexistent

> before the late fifties to early sixties.  Diagnostic x-ray

> frequently exposed virtually the entire body of the patient to the

> primary beam.  Collimation has continued to improve ever since.

> 

> --On Wednesday, June 26, 2002 12:55 PM -0700 Ted de Castro

> <tdc@xrayted.com> wrote:

> 

> > 1950 was JUST ABOUT the time the "shock proof" shielded tube

> > housing came to be!

> >

> > Before that it was unshielded glass tubes, aerial HV cables and

> > spark gap regulation.

> >

> > At least that is what I derive from reading articles by Trout

> > dated in the early 50's.

> >

> > Wasn't actually there (or at least not old enough to know anything

> > relevant) so can't say for sure.

> >

> > Maybe some slightly more senior person can add some first hand

> > information.

> >

> > "Jacobus, John (OD/ORS)" wrote:

> >>

> >> I thought this might be of interest.

> >>

> >> -- John

> >> John Jacobus, MS

> >> Certified Health Physicist

> >> 3050 Traymore Lane

> >> Bowie, MD  20715-2024

> >>

> >> E-mail:  jenday1@email.msn.com (H)

> >> -------------------------------------------------

> >> Breast Cancer Mortality High in X-Ray Techs Who Worked Before

> >> 1950

> >>

> >> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 19 - Women who worked in the US as

> >> radiologic technologists before 1950 have a higher risk of death

> >> from breast cancer compared with women who started working in

> >> such jobs in 1960 or later, according to a report in the June

> >> 19th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

> >> Dr. Michael Hauptmann from the National Cancer Institute in

> >> Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues collected data on 65,525

> >> female radiologic technologists who had been certified in the US

> >> between 1926 and 1982.

> >>

> >> The researchers examined deaths from breast cancer and their

> >> relationship to the women's work history and practices. They

> >> also adjusted the data for known risk factors.

> >>

> >> The highest risk of death from breast cancer was found among

> >> women who became radiologic technologists before 1940 (relative

> >> risk 2.92), and between 1940 and 1949 (relative risk 2.44),

> >> compared with women who started working as radiologic

> >> technologists in 1960 or after. After 1960 the risk declined.

> >>

> >> Among women who performed fluoroscopy and multifilm procedures

> >> before 1950, there was a significantly increased risk of breast

> >> cancer death compared with women who first performed these

> >> procedures in 1960 or after, the researchers found.

> >>

> >> In a statement, Dr. Hauptmann and colleagues conclude that "the

> >> increased risks of dying from breast cancer among radiologic

> >> technologists who first worked or worked 5 or more years prior

> >> to 1950 were likely due to higher levels of radiation exposure

> >> before 1950, since recommended radiation exposure limits were

> >> dramatically reduced between 1930 and the late 1950s."

> >>

> >> J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94:943-948.

> >>

> >> ----------------------------------------------------------------

> >> ------------ ----

> >>

> >> Reuters Health Information 2002. © 2002 Reuters Ltd

> >>

> >> ****************************************************************

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> ***********************************************************

> S. Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD               Voice: 615-322-1477

> Professor, Emeritus

> Dept. of Radiology & Radiological Sciences

> Vanderbilt University Medical Center     Home: 615-356-3615

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