Potential hazards of diagnostic radiation.

There are no precise data for determining the extent of somatic damage from small doses of radiation used in diagnostic radiology. Diagnostic radiation given to pregnant women, knowingly or unknowingly, should rarely reach teratogenic levels causing brain and eye abnormalities. Evidence suggests that it does increase the risk of childhood malignancy, especially leukemia. Although rapidly growing tissues seem most susceptible, all radiation probably carries a very small risk of carcinogenesis. Genetic damage is equally difficult to estimate. Diagnostic radiation of females, even in childhood, may be related to an increased incidence of Down's syndrome in older mothers. Radiation also causes point mutations, which may explain the increase of some genetic abnormalities in progeny of older fathers. Whenever an abdominal or pelvic radiograph is ordered before the end of the reproductive period, there must be a potential benefit to balance the small risk involved.