Medical radiation exposure and genetic risks.
Everyone is exposed to background radiation throughout life (100 mrem/year to the gonads or 4 to 5 rem during the reproductive years). A lumbosacral series might deliver 2,500 mrem to the male or 400 mrem to the female gonads. A radiologic procedure is a cost/benefit decision, and genetic risk is a part of the cost. Although cost is usually very low compared to benefit, if the procedure is unnecessary then the cost may be unacceptable. On the basis of current estimates, the doubling dose is assumed to be 40 rem (range 20 to 200) for an acute dose, and 100 rem for protracted exposure. Although there is no satisfactory way to predict the size of the risk for an individual exposed, any risk should be incentive to avoid unnecessary radiation to the gonads. Conception should be delayed for at least ten months for women and three or four months for men after irradiation of the gonads. The current incidence of genetically related diseases in the United States population is 60,000 per million live births. Based on the most conservative set of assumptions, an average gonadal dose of 1,000 mrem to the whole population would increase the incidence of genetically related diseases by 0.2%.
D000016:Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007953:Leukemia, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D010053:Ovary / Q000528:radiation effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011859:Radiography / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012306:Risk; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects; D012744:Sex Ratio