Radiation exposure in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome in the years 2001-2011.
OBJECTIVE
To compare cumulative ionizing radiation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for the years 2001-2011. To study how radiation exposure change over time in patients with newly diagnosed IBD and factors associated with radiation exposure.


METHODS
All radiological investigations performed between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2011 were retrospectively recorded in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) (n = 103), ulcerative colitis (UC) (n = 304) and IBS (n = 149). Analyses were done with Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square test.


RESULTS
The median total cumulative radiation exposure in mSv for CD (20.0, inter quartile range (IQR) 34.8), UC (7.01, IQR 23.8), IBS (2.71, IQR 9.15) and the proportion of patients who had been exposed for more than 50 mSv during the study period (CD 19%, UC 11%, IBS 3%) were significantly higher in the patients with CD compared to patients with UC (p < .001) and IBS (p < .001), respectively. In turn, patients with UC had significantly higher doses than patients with IBS (p = .005). Risk factors for radiation exposure were female gender (CD), early onset (UC), ileocolonic location (CD), previous surgery (CD and UC), depression (IBS) and widespread pain (IBS). In newly diagnosed CD, there was a significant decline in median cumulative radiation dose in mSv (17.2 vs. 12.0; p = .048) during the study period.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with CD are at greatest risk for high cumulative radiation exposure, but there is a decline in exposure during the late 2000s. Non-colectomized patients with UC and patients with IBS have a relatively low risk of cumulative radiation exposure.
a Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
Hanna
H
Englund
a Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
Katarina
K
Lidén K
b Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
Torbjörn
T
Lind
c Department of Radiation Sciences, Diagnostic Radiology , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
Torbjörn
T
Sundström
a Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
Pontus
P
Karling
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013548:Sweden; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
IBD-clinical; colonic disorders; computer-technology; functional disorders; small-intestinal disorders