
There is potential for the embryo or fetus to be exposed during the diagnostic or therapeutic procedures for women who are pregnant and have x rays, fluoroscopy, or radiation therapy or are administered liquid radioactive materials. Ionizing radiation is the kind of electromagnetic radiation produced by x-ray machines, radioactive isotopes (radionuclides), and radiation therapy machines. These are background risks for all healthy pregnant women. It must be remembered, however, that every healthy woman without personal or a family history of reproductive or developmental problems begins her pregnancy with a 3 percent risk for birth defects and a 15 percent risk for miscarriage. The next few paragraphs are some basic concepts as an introduction to help understand the more specific information provided later. It is also for men and women who are concerned about radiation exposures they have had that might impact the development of their sperm or their eggs (ova) and their risk of genetic diseases because of the radiation exposure. The following information pertains to reproductive risks of radiation exposures to women who are pregnant and have questions about the risk of birth defects and miscarriage. Katherine L.Pregnancy and Radiation Exposure Robert Brent, MD, PhD “We have a relatively small sample group, but a retrospective matched case-control study is the only option at this point in time because other study designs aren’t logistically feasible.” “It is very difficult to perform a prospective study examining this question unless you have a huge number of participants,” Nathanson said. Those exposed to diagnostic radiation at age 10 years or younger demonstrated a higher risk for testicular germ cell tumors than those first exposed at age 18 years or older, although the association was not statistically significant (OR = 2 95% CI, 0.91-4.42).
#Radiation exposure x ray testicle series
Results showed that, compared with no exposures, men who reported at least three exposures to X-ray or CT had a significantly higher risk for testicular germ cell tumors (OR = 1.78 95% CI, 1.15-2.76), as did men who had three or more exposures to a lower GI series or barium enema (OR = 4.58 95% CI, 2.39-8.76) or three or more exposures with the combined variable (OR = 1.59 95% CI, 1.05-2.42). They then adjusted for age, year of birth, race, county, BMI at diagnosis, family history of the disease and personal history of cryptorchidism. The investigators used logistic regression to calculate the risk for developing testicular germ cell tumors based on number of exposures (0, 1-2 or 3) and age at first exposure. Researchers also developed a combined measure of exposure. The men reported X-ray or CT exposure below the waist and exposure to a lower GI series or barium enema, consisting of a series of X-rays of the colon. Nathanson and colleagues studied the association of diagnostic radiation exposure and testicular germ cell tumor risk among 1,246 men aged 18 to 55 years with (n = 315) and without (n = 931) testicular germ cell tumors. During that time, the mean effective dose of diagnostic radiation has increased sevenfold, according to study background. The increased incidence could be linked, in part, to the 20-fold increase in the use of diagnostic radiation in the past several decades. Incidence has doubled since 1975, from three out of 100,000 men to six out of 100,000 men, according to researchers. Testicular germ cell tumor is the most common form of cancer among white men aged 15 to 44 years. “We hope to contribute to the discussion about the importance of testicular shielding for boys and men if they are getting diagnostic radiation.” Nathanson, MD, deputy director of University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center and Pearl Basser professor of BRCA-related research at Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, told Healio. Nead, MD, MPhil, a radiation oncologist, was interested in studying how diagnostic radiation may affect risks for testicular cancer,” Katherine L. “We’ve been studying risk factors for testicular cancer for almost 20 years and have been collecting reported exposures. If subsequent studies validate these results, efforts should be made to reduce diagnostic radiation doses to the testes, researchers wrote.Įxposure to diagnostic radiation below the waist may increase risk for testicular germ cell tumors. If you continue to have this issue please contact to HealioĮxposure to diagnostic radiation below the waist may increase risk for testicular germ cell tumors, according to results of a case-control study published in PLOS One.
