09/19/2025
A study led by UC San Francisco and UC Davis has concluded that radiation from medical imaging is associated with a higher risk of blood cancers in children.
The researchers examined data from nearly 4 million children and estimated that 1 in 10 blood cancers — some 3,000 cancers in all — may be attributable to radiation exposure from medical imaging. The risk increased proportionally based on the cumulative amount of radiation the children received.
The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), appears Sept. 17 in The New England Journal of Medicine.
“It’s crucial for clinicians to weigh the immediate benefits of imaging against potential long-term health risks and to optimize imaging protocols to minimize radiation exposure.” - Diana Miglioretti, UC Davis Health
Read more: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1098775
