Health effects of low level radiation: carcinogenesis, teratogenesis, and mutagenesis

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Semin. Nucl. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-2998(86)80024-1· OSTI ID:5528680

Ritenour, E R

The carcinogenic effects of radiation have been demonstrated at high dose levels. At low dose levels, such as those encountered in medical diagnosis, the magnitude of the effect is more difficult to quantify. Three reasons for this difficulty are (1) the effects in human populations are small compared with the natural incidence of cancer in the populations; (2) it is difficult to transfer results obtained in animal studies to the human experience; and (3) the effects of latency period and plateau increase the complexity of population studies. In spite of these difficulties, epidemiologic studies of human populations exposed to low levels of radiation still play a valuable role in the determination of radiation carcinogenecity. They serve to provide upper estimates of risk and to rule out the appearance of new effects that may be masked by the effects of high doses. While there is evidence for mutagenic effects of radiation in experimental animals, no conclusive human data exist at the present. It is not possible to rule out the presence of genetic effects of radiation in humans, however, because many problems exist with regard to the epidemiologic detection of small effects when the natural incidence is relatively large. In animals, subtle effects (eg, a decrease in the probability of survival from egg to adult) may occur with greater frequency than more dramatic disorders in irradiated populations. However, these types of genetic abnormalities are difficult to quantitate. Current risk estimates are based primarily upon data pertaining to dominant mutations in rodents. Some specific locus studies also permit identification of recessive mutation rates. The embryo and fetus are considered to be at greater risk for adverse effects of radiation than is the adult.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver
• OSTI ID: 5528680
• Journal Information: Semin. Nucl. Med.; (United States), Vol. 2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
HUMAN POPULATIONS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CARCINOGENESIS
FLUOROSCOPY
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
JAPAN
MUTAGENESIS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
PREGNANCY
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOTHERAPY
RISK ASSESSMENT
TERATOGENESIS
ASIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
GENETIC EFFECTS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INJURIES
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
PATHOGENESIS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOLOGY
THERAPY
560151* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man