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"Any radiation dose carries with it an associated risk of cancer induction, and the risk increases linearly with increasing dose."⁵

--- Klein et al, 2009

Radiation is a well-established risk factor for cancer¹

• The relationship between exposure to ionizing radiation and cell damage, which may result in cancer, is well documented in the literature^1-3

Radiation can also cause other problems

• Circulatory disease⁶
• Cataract formation⁵
• Genetic mutation potentially causing hereditary effects⁴
  • By causing mutations in germ cells, radiation may have an effect on offspring

A significant dose response causes increased risks

For each rad of radiation exposure a surgeon receives in a lifetime, risks increase.

The National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements (NCRP) recommends using as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) levels of radiation⁸

1. Cardis E, Vrijheid M, Blettner M, et al. The 15-country collaborative study of cancer risk among radiation workers in the nuclear industry: estimates of radiation related cancer risks. Radiat Res. 2007;167(4):396-416.

2. Muirhead CR, O’Hagan JA, Haylock RG, et al. Mortality and cancer incidence following occupational radiation exposure: third analysis of the National Registry for Radiation Workers. Br J Cancer. 2009;100(1):206-212.

3. Sont WN, Zielinski JM, Ashmore JP, et al. First analysis of cancer incidence and occupational radiation exposure based on the National Dose Registry of Canada. Am J Epidemiol. 2001;15 (4):309-318.

4. Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation to the General Assembly. 2000. http://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/gareport.pdf. Accessed February 17, 2010.

5. Klein LW, Miller DL, Balter S, et al. Occupational health hazards in the interventional laboratory: time for a safer environment. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2009;73(3):432-438.

6. Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration. Initiative to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from medical imaging. http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationSafety/RadiationDoseReduction/ucm199994.htm. Updated February 16, 2010. Accessed February 22, 2010.

7. Ashmore JP, Krewski D, Zielinski JM, Jiang H, Semenciw R, Band PR. First analysis of mortality and occupational radiation exposure based on the National Dose Registry of Canada. Am J Epidemiol. 1998;148(6):564-574.

8. National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements. The application of ALARA for occupational exposures. NCRP Statement No. Issued June 8, 1999. http://www.ncrponline.org/Publications/Statement_8.pdf. Accessed February 22, 2010.

9. Data on file. Smith & Nephew.