ISSN: 1449-1907International Journal of Medical Sciences
Global reach, higher impact
Int J Med Sci 2021; 18(1):73-80. doi:10.7150/ijms.48050 This issue Cite
Review
Low Radiation X-rays: Benefiting People Globally by Reducing Cancer Risks
1. Department of Orthopaedics, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing City, P. R. China, 402160
2. Department of Orthopaedics, Baoji Municipal Central Hospital, Baoji, Shaanxi, China, 721008
3. Spine Central, Specialist Central, The Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
4. Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA No.986 Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, P. R. China, 710054
5. Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, P. R. China, 712046
Abstract
Modern medical imaging facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. However, few people are aware of the cons of radiation exposure from medical imaging. Emerging evidence reveals that cumulative doses of radiation exposure will increase the morbidity and mortality of pertaining cancer. As a special young population, patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) suffer more radiation harms from repeated diagnostic imaging, most of which can be avoided in clinical practice. Accumulating evidence highlights reduced cancer risks of radiation exposure for AIS patients with low/zero radiation imaging modalities proposed, amongst which easy conversion from anterior-posterior (AP) to posterior-anterior (PA) projection for whole-spine radiographs should be stressed. It can greatly reduce radiation doses without compromising the quality of diagnostic imaging. Tight collimation combined with PA projection can further reduce radiation harms, and need to be spread to benefit people globally.
Keywords: radiation exposure, cancer, mortality, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Citation styles
