Brain SPECT Imaging Radiation Exposure Explanation
Radiation exposure from brain SPECT imaging is minimal.
In 1996, the Health Physics Society issued a policy statement indicating that while there is substantial and convincing scientific evidence for health risk at higher doses "health risks are either too small to be observed or are non-existent" for exposures below 10 rem (a rem is a measure of radiation exposure). The whole body dose of a typical brain SPECT imaging procedure is about 0.1 rem.
In its assessment of risk to children for diagnostic imaging procedures used in clinical and research investigations, the Office of the Clinical Director of the National Institute of Health stated: "The risk of increased rates of cancer of low-level radiation exposure is not supported by population studies of health hazards from exposure to background radiation, radon in homes, radiation in the workplace or radiotherapy. Compared to the frequency of daily spontaneous genetic mutations, the biological effect of low-level radiation at the cellular level seems extremely low".
They concluded their review by saying: "Health risks from low-level radiation could not be detected above the 'noise' of adverse events of everyday life. In addition, no data was found that demonstrated higher risks with younger age at low-level radiation exposure".
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