Radiobiologic risk estimation from dental radiology. Part II. Cancer incidence and fatality.

With the use of the measured absorbed doses from part I of this article, the specific radiobiologic risk to the patient from (1) five different panoramic machines with rare-earth screens, (2) a 20-film complete-mouth survey with E-speed film, long round cone, (3) a 20-film complete-mouth survey with E-speed film, long rectangular cone, (4) a 4-film interproximal survey with E-speed film, long round cone, and (5) a 4-film interproximal survey with E-speed film, long rectangular cone, was calculated. The estimated risks are expressed in two ways: the probability of radiation-induced cancer in specific organs per million examinations and the probability of expression of a fatal cancer per million examinations. The highest risks calculated were from the complete-mouth survey with the use of round collimation. The lowest risks calculated were from panoramic radiography and four interproximal radiographs with rectangular collimation.