Koji Yoshida1,2, Naomi Hayashida3, Yoshiko Fukushima4, Akira Ohtsuru5, Takashi Ohba5, Arifumi Hasegawa6, Hisashi Sato7, Fumio Shishido8, Kiyotaka Yasui2, Atsushi Kumagai2, Takeshi Yusa9, Takashi Kudo10, Shunichi Yamashita11, Noboru Takamura12. 1. Department of Global Health, Medicine and Welfare, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. 2. Education Center for Disaster Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. 3. Division of Promotion of Collaborative Research on Radiation and Environment Health Effects, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. 4. National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan. 5. Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan. 6. Department of Radiation Disaster Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan. 7. Department of Radiation Oncology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan. 8. Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan. 9. Department of Radiological Technology, Fukushima Medical University Hospital, Fukushima, Japan. 10. Department of Radioisotope Medicine, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. 11. Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. 12. Department of Global Health, Medicine and Welfare, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. takamura@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has raised concerns about radiation exposure, including medical radiation exposure such as X-ray and CT, in residents of Fukushima. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the numbers and the ratio of outpatients less than 10 years old who underwent imaging examinations [e.g., CT, X-ray, MRI, ultrasonography (US), etc.] at Fukushima Medical University hospital in Fukushima, Japan before (April 1, 2008-March 31, 2011) and after (April 1, 2011-March 31, 2014) the accident. RESULTS: The number of outpatients less than 10 years old decreased after the accident. The number of outpatients less than 10 years old who underwent CT and X-ray examinations also significantly decreased after the accident (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the number of pediatric radiological examinations decreased after the accident in Fukushima. We should continue to communicate with patients and their families to ensure that they understand the risks and benefits of radiological imaging in order to overcome their concerns about the nuclear disaster.
PURPOSE: The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has raised concerns about radiation exposure, including medical radiation exposure such as X-ray and CT, in residents of Fukushima. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the numbers and the ratio of outpatients less than 10 years old who underwent imaging examinations [e.g., CT, X-ray, MRI, ultrasonography (US), etc.] at Fukushima Medical University hospital in Fukushima, Japan before (April 1, 2008-March 31, 2011) and after (April 1, 2011-March 31, 2014) the accident. RESULTS: The number of outpatients less than 10 years old decreased after the accident. The number of outpatients less than 10 years old who underwent CT and X-ray examinations also significantly decreased after the accident (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the number of pediatric radiological examinations decreased after the accident in Fukushima. We should continue to communicate with patients and their families to ensure that they understand the risks and benefits of radiological imaging in order to overcome their concerns about the nuclear disaster.
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