Abstract
One of the most common usages of radiation in current medical diagnosis is computed tomography (CT) using X-rays. The potential health risk of CT scans has been discussed in various studies to determine whether low-dose radiation from CT could enhance the chromosome aberration yields in pediatric patients and increase their risk of carcinogenesis. For this reason, it is of great interest to study the effects of low-dose radiation. The induction of DNA damage by a CT scan examination has been demonstrated in several reports by the γ-H2AX assay, the micronuclei assay and dicentrics measurements. However, the results of most studies showed limitations. On the other hand, epidemiological studies give contradictory results for post-natal radiation exposure in the low-dose range, so it is still difficult to draw conclusions about the effects of CT examinations and risk of carcinogenesis. This article provides an overview of previously published data and summarizes the current state of knowledge.
Highlights
Diagnostic radiation is an indispensable tool of modern medicine
Cancer risk estimates for computed tomography (CT) scans are typically extrapolated from models, new approaches measuring actual DNA damage on the molecular level are clearly needed for improved risk estimations[14]
It is important to predict the double-strand breaks (DSBs) level arising from a given ionizing radiation (IR) dose, and to consider the DSB repair rate, which might considerably fluctuate between tissues and individuals[18]
Summary
Diagnostic radiation is an indispensable tool of modern medicine. Among the uses of X-rays in diagnosis, computed tomography (CT) has been established as one of the most informative diagnostic radiology examinations. The growing use of CT procedures on children raises concern over the long-term risk of cancer development associated with medical radiologic diagnostics[1], because children are more radiosensitive than adults[2]. They are more radiosensitive due to their growing bodies, rapid cell proliferation allowing repair of DNA damage, expansion of altered cell clones and longer lifespans, which provide a larger window for development of radiation-related cancers[3,4,5]. It is urgently needed to find out the underlying mechanism of radiosensitivity Their findings were criticized because epidemiological patterns reported in the CT studies were inconsistent with the world’s literature. Cancer risk estimates for CT scans are typically extrapolated from models, new approaches measuring actual DNA damage on the molecular level are clearly needed for improved risk estimations[14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
