Posts Tagged ‘radiation’

Due to the recent bombing attempt of a U.S.-bound airplane, questions are being asked, again, about whether full-body scanners pose any significant health risks. The two types of full-body scanners either use high frequency radio waves (Millimeter Wave Scanners) or low-level x-rays (Backscatter Scanners). According to the U.S. Transportation Security Agency, the radiation emitted by a millimeter wave scanner is less than the amount emitted by a cell phone. Backscatter scanners, unlike X-rays which penetrate objects, use rays that scatter when they hit materials, allowing computers to render a detailed image of an object. The amount of radiation delivered by a backscatter scanner is less than 2% of the daily background radiation we receive as we go about our daily lives. Therefore, as of now, it would appear that full-body scanners are relatively safe for their intent and purpose. Aside from the controversy regarding potential health risks, there are privacy concerns since they do produce essentially naked images of passengers. Full-body scanners are currently used at Manchester Airport in England and Tokyo’s Narita Airport in Japan. Fifteen of them will soon be put to use in Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. [via CNN Travel]

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The journal Cancer reports on a new study which shows that women previously treated for breast cancer have a higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have highly dense breasts. Women who were classified as having highly dense breasts had a 21% chance of cancer recurrence, compared to 5% among women with low-density breasts. Because of this the study authors suggest that women with highly dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies, such as radiation, after breast and lymph node surgery. [via Medical News Today]

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Is it true that up to 45 percent of your body heat is lost through your head? Apparently not. The British Medical Journal reports this week that this myth has be debunked by researchers at Indiana University. The medical myth was traced back to advise published in a US Army Field Manual from 1970 which was based on flawed interpretation of US Military experiments in which subjects dressed in arctic survival suits (without hats) were exposed to cold temperatures. Since their heads were the only part of their bodies left uncovered, scientists wrongfully assumed that the head was the source of the majority of heat loss when, in fact, heat loss can occur through a variety of thermoregulatory mechanisms – conduction, convection, radiation. If the myth were true, they say, humans would be just as cold if they went without a hat as if they went without pants. The actual amount of heat loss depends roughly on the body surface area that is exposed.

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A new Dutch study suggests that younger women who have survived breast cancer may have 3 to 4 times  the risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast as a consequence of radiation therapy.  Women treated with radiation before they turned 45 had a slightly increased risk of a new tumor in the other breast, while women receiving radiation before they were 35 had a 78% increased risk. It is as yet unclear why this is the case. Radiation therapy is usually used after a lumpectomy to destroy any remaining cancer cells that were not removed by surgery. Today’s radiotherapy techniques aim to reduce the amount of radiation delivered to the remaining breast.

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Results of a 12-year-long study provide strong evidence that shorter radiation schedules can provide the same outcomes as current treatment times for early stages of breast cancer. Some centers in the US already offer shorter courses of treatment, but they are more widely available in Canada and parts of Europe. Shorter treatment regimens would allow more women with breast cancer to be treated due to increased availability of machines and resources. Full story.