Radiation’s Effects on the Kids, According to the UN

As far as diagnostic imaging is concerned the big concern is radiation. The effects of radiation are serious and can be potentially harmful depending on the patient’s manner of responding. One major concern is the effect of radiation on children, and it has been for years. To make it clear children are not likely to develop cancer from a single procedure, but repeat procedures over a short period can have negative side effects in the future.

This is a particularly difficult situation especially when you consider the fact that often times radiation levels determine image quality. While there have been concentrated efforts to work on radiation dosage, it’s very important to understand where the lines are drawn. A recent study by the UN released its findings as far as radiation and children is concerned.

The report stated “Because of their anatomical and physiological differences, radiation exposure has a different impact on children compared with adults” One particular note in the report made references to future to cancer. “The report finds that children are more susceptible to certain kinds of tumor types including leukemia, thyroid, brain and breast, although the risk is not always immediate and more likely to develop later in life.

The thing is that some studies have shown that there is a possibility that at least 29,000 future cases of cancer will be attributed to radiation exposure. The UN is exposing something that most everyone already knows. In releasing their report the UN has probably heightened the desire for greater efforts to reduce the usage of radiation without sacrificing image quality.

One thing is for certain, reactions are different from patient to patient. The UN studied 23 kinds of cancer. Radiation is necessary in order to put together an image. It doesn’t matter what the procedure, MRI, CT scan, or X-Ray, there is a form of radiation involved with all examinations. Hopefully this study coupled with the information already available will help curb the radiation issue.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please give us a call. Our team of dedicated imaging professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  

352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com

References: http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/22319

Breast Cancer Can Make Difficulties Impossible

Breast cancer is no one’s ally; in fact breast cancer is the worst thing that can happen to any family. The problems are not just limited to the woman and her physical and emotional state. A family often times has to go through the difficult task of seeing someone battle through the difficult physical and emotional effects of breast cancer. As time goes on so too does the feeling that there’s very little that can be done blankets people’s emotions.

So, after the mammogram, what are some difficulties that we are likely to face? The patient can often face difficulties that are far greater than what’s expected. According to a scincedaily.com “Many older women with newly diagnosed breast cancer have difficulty accomplishing daily tasks, and African-Americans seem to be disproportionately affected. Those are the findings of a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study's results suggest that many breast cancer patients could benefit from receiving therapy to improve their physical function.”

It’s sad to think that breast cancer can not only take a life but it can also hinder it in the process. Yes there are many myths about breast cancer but unfortunately there are also many well researched facts. This kind of discovery is part of the reason why it is vital to ensure that early detection becomes a key objective amongst all women.

The battle against breast cancer has progresses and it continues to improve, but even with all of this improvement there is a long way to go. There is a strong need for greater advocacy in areas such geographic location and demographics. The battle will rage on for a very long time to come and that can only mean continuous discoveries that are both favorable to the cure and counter to the cure.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering any questions you may have and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst 

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130923093033.htm

Arterial Stiffness and Dementia

Dementia, along with Alzheimer’s disease, is one of the most difficult conditions that a person of advanced age can deal with. Dementia progressively takes a person’s memory and cognitive abilities away. The definition of dementia according to the mayo clinic is “a group of symptoms affecting thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily functioning.” Eventually a patient cannot really function when stricken with dementia. It’s very important that we can see dementia coming, while it’s unavoidable, the sooner you know it’s there the sooner you can help delay some effects.

In a recent study it was shown that PET scans help detect a link between arterial stiffness and dementia. This was an interesting discovery when you think about the fact that the stiffening of the arteries is enough to show a likelihood of dementia setting in without the symptoms actually setting in. It was stated in an article by auntminnie.com that “Arterial stiffness appears to play a role in hypertension and the adverse effects it can have on the brain, including impaired cognitive function and dementia in older adults.” One thing that was noted was the fact that there is no known or clear relationship between arterial stiffness and beta amyloid deposition.

One thing that this is likely to set off is the possibility of greater screening among older patients. Memory loss is a common side effect of aging and in some cases it can be a far greater concern. Due to the fact that aging is a natural process there is not as great of a push as there should be with conditions like dementia simply because they cannot be reversed or cured. Perhaps with greater research in the field and more concentration on screening for the possibility of dementia there may be a way to discover how to slow the effects of the condition.

Chances are that there are many years before this happens. Part of the problem is going to be actually being able to take existing studies and further proving the relation between arterial stiffness and dementia. This discovery is a step in the right direction and it will aide in fighting dementia as well as Alzheimer’s disease.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated imaging professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in all your imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=mol&pag=dis&ItemID=105141

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131