NorthShore University HealthSystem-Skokie Hospital, 9600 Gross Point, Road Skokie, IL 60076, USA.
Health Phys. 2011 Nov;101(5):583-8. doi: 10.1097/HP.0b013e3182259a81.
Concerns about possible harmful effects of exposure to radiation arising from diagnostic radiologic procedures have existed in both the scientific and lay communities for many decades. There is, however, no question that the degree of concern over the past years has escalated to the "anxiety" if not the "fear" level. Potential exposure to radiation is not a new issue, but it is certainly a "hot" issue. Americans were exposed to more than six times as much ionizing radiation from diagnostic medical procedures in 2006 than they were in early 1980s. To what extent this increased exposure elevates the risk of genetic mutations and/or development of cancer is not known with any degree of certainty. The available data are subject to varying interpretations, often debatable and thus controversial. What should be communicated to the public? The medical and scientific communities must encourage public attention and discussion regarding radiologic imaging and associated radiation exposure. They must talk to the public sensibly about the uncertainty regarding the hazards of radiation exposure. Exposure to imaging involving radiation and the hazards related to such exposure has myriad medical/legal ramifications. There has never been a successful medical malpractice lawsuit that alleged development of cancer or genetic defects resulting from diagnostic x-ray examinations. However, there have been and continue to be lawsuits filed alleging soft tissue injury resulting from overexposure to diagnostic radiologic equipment and cancer caused by overexposure to radiation oncology equipment. It is quite likely that lawsuits alleging development of cancer arising from diagnostic imaging using standard levels of ionizing radiation will be forthcoming. How the courts will deal with these remains to be determined.
几十年来，科学界和普通民众一直对诊断性放射程序所带来的辐射有害影响表示担忧。然而，毫无疑问，近年来人们对这一问题的担忧程度已经上升到了“焦虑”甚至是“恐惧”的程度。潜在的辐射暴露并不是一个新问题，但它肯定是一个“热点”问题。美国人在 2006 年因诊断性医疗程序而暴露于比 20 世纪 80 年代早期多六倍的电离辐射。这种增加的暴露在多大程度上增加了基因突变和/或癌症发展的风险，目前还不能确定。现有的数据存在不同的解释，往往存在争议，因此存在争议。应该向公众传达什么信息？医疗和科学界必须鼓励公众关注和讨论放射成像和相关的辐射暴露问题。他们必须明智地与公众谈论有关辐射暴露危害的不确定性。涉及辐射的成像暴露以及与这种暴露相关的危害存在无数的医疗/法律后果。从未有过因诊断性 X 光检查而导致癌症或遗传缺陷的医疗事故诉讼胜诉。然而，已经有并将继续有诉讼声称因过度暴露于诊断放射设备而导致软组织损伤以及因过度暴露于放射肿瘤学设备而导致癌症。很可能会有因使用标准电离辐射水平进行诊断成像而导致癌症发展的诉讼。法庭将如何处理这些问题还有待确定。
