Kelly Classic, Senior Health Physicist, Mayo Clinic - PowerPoint

Fact or Fiction (or a bit of both)?

Kelly Classic

Mayo Clinic

Radiation Myths

Health Physics Society Ask The Experts

www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate

Spiderman or the Hulk?

“While for most of the population, exposure to gamma radiation results in death, there are a few select individuals where exposure can allow the person to develop super-human abilities. In the Marvel Universe, a resulting gamma mutation due to the exposure to gamma radiation is determined by psychological as well as physiological causes.” (Intro to The Incredible Hulk in Marvel Comics)

Or Do “The Hills Have Eyes”?

thirsty clan – the terrifying offspring of miners left behind in the days when atomic tests spread radioactive fallout across the desert – who will stop at nothing to prey on the Carters one by one.”

“Suddenly, the Carter family finds themselves in a desolate stretch of desert, with nothing seemingly alive for miles. But even as they fight to survive the deadly desert, a far greater threat emerges. Now the Carters become aware that they are not quite as alone as they first thought. There is another group of survivors in the hills surrounding the desert: a genetically mutated, insatiably hungry, blood-

Fact or Myth: The Real Pronunciation is “Newcular.”

For:– We all know more than one person

who uses that term

– We all know of a VIP who uses that term

– A person in my office uses that term (that should be all the fact you need to decide this one!)

Fact or Myth: The Real Pronunciation is “Newcular.”

Truth:– According to Webster’s Dictionary:

Nu-cle-ar: nü-klē-ər

For:– Do you live within 200 miles of a nuclear

facility? Would you protect your family if there was a nuclear accident or event - if you could? Of course you would.

– HOW do I protect my family and myself from Radiation from a Nuclear Event?

– By taking an inexpensive, non-prescription Anti-Radiation Pill called KIO3™, or Potassium Iodate.

Fact or Myth: KI pills will protect me from NPP* or DB** radiation.

*Nuclear Power Plant

**Dirty Bomb

These bulleted items are directly from an ad put out by a North American distributor of KI pills.

Truth:– You would try to protect your family

from any possible harm. – KI pills, if taken within plus/minus 3h of

an incident where radioiodine was released, will minimize thyroid uptake and dose.

Fact or Myth: KI pills will protect me from NPP* or DB** radiation.

*Nuclear Power Plant

**Dirty Bomb

Fact or Myth: There is a limit on the number of medical x rays you can have.

For:– There is a limit on occupational exposure.– There is a limit on general public exposure.– “If I understand correctly, an occupationally

exposed person can receive up to 50 mSv per year radiation exposure. If someone has had two pelvic CTs and two sinus CTs, has this person received the limit?”

– “Is it true that you can only be a nuclear medicine technologist for five years because of the radiation exposure?”

Fact or Myth: There is a limit on the number of medical x rays you can have.

Truth:– There is NOT a limit on prescribed

medical radiation exposure.– Yes, there is a limit on general public

exposure…from licensed activities.– Yes, there is an occupational exposure

limit for people working in radiation environments but few workers’ exposures approach this limit.

For:– “I have been reading your risk assessments

for lifetime increased risk of cancer as a function of rem received. The exposure from medical and dental x rays is often compared with that received through natural (background) sources. However, isn’t there a larger health effect from medical and dental x rays than from natural sources?”

– Bacteria on food is better for us than irradiating it.*

Fact or Myth: Naturally occurring is better than human-made.

A partial excerpt from John Stossel’s book “Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity.”

Truth:– Radiation originating from the two is

different, but the only difference is that one is natural and the other is not.

– There is no difference in what occurs as a result of exposure to natural vs. human-made radiation.

– If only 50% of our food was irradiated, the CDC states that nearly one million cases of bacterial infections could be avoided and 350 lives saved each year.

Fact or Myth: Naturally occurring is better than human-made.

For:– That’s what Oprah said. She said she

had a whole body CT scan and now she knows she doesn’t have cancer.

– Why else would so many CT scanning shops open up in malls?

– I can get a free CD of my scan so I can see for myself that I don’t have cancer.

Fact or Myth: A whole body CT scan can tell me if I have cancer or not.

Truth:– Oprah did say that.– You can get a free CD of your scan at

some locations.– A positive scan alone does not

confirm the presence of disease.– A negative scan alone does not

confirm the absence of disease.

Fact or Myth: A whole body CT scan can tell me if I have cancer or not.

Fact or Myth: Microwave Oven Must Have Something In Them To Be Safe.

For:– “Our maintenance person was nearby and

decided to use a small handheld microwave tester to test for microwave emissions. The tester read 2 mW/cm2.”

– “My husband turned on our microwave oven with nothing in it and I could feel the radiation coming from it. With nothing in there, doesn’t the radiation just come through the door?”

Truth– There might be detectable microwave radiation

coming through the oven doors when it is operating.

– The FDA has a regulation on microwave oven leakage that states that the power density limit from an operating microwave oven shall not exceed 1 mW/cm2 at any point 5 cm or more from the oven. This leakage is rare on newer microwaves.

– It doesn’t matter whether something is in the oven or not.

Fact or Myth: Microwave Oven Must Have Something In Them To Be Safe.

For:– She received half of the 1903 Nobel Prize in

Physics for study of spontaneous radiation, discovered by Becquerel who was awarded the other half of the Prize.

– She received the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of radium and polonium.

– She was Director of the Curie Laboratory in the Radium Institute of the University of Paris.

Fact or Myth: The “Curie” was named for Marie Curie.

Truth:– Too controversial for a woman to

receive the prize.– Generally understood that the Curie

was named after Pierre.– Some references suggest that,

perhaps, it was named for both Marie and Pierre.

Fact or Myth: The “Curie” was named for Marie Curie.

For:– “I get a nauseating sensation/’burning’ sore

throat after getting an x ray at the dentist.”– “My colleagues and I get headaches working

around the x-ray machines at the airport.”– “One week after having a VQ scan, I developed

a severe chest cold with a lot of sinus pressure”– “After the third set of x rays, I started to feel

dizzy, but not until about an hour afterward.”

Fact or Myth: Radiation causes headaches, stomach aches, etc.

For:– “My boyfriend has prostate cancer. He is being

treated with radiation and taking a daily oral drug. Three weeks into his treatment we had sex. Since that day (11 days now) I have had stomach cramps and diarrhea.”

– “I started working in a cardiac catheterization laboratory. In February, I started experiencing flushing with white dots on my forearms and lower legs bilaterally. This often spreads to my upper legs and sometimes upper torso.”


For:– “I am never directly exposed to any radiation, but walk

by rooms when x rays are taken. Is it possible that small amount of exposure (plus the handling of x-ray films) could cause radiation poisoning in a person?”

– “What are the radiation effects on the skin? I heard that radiation dissolves the skin and exposed organs.”

– “I had a barium enema, lower GI exam. Within a few hours, the skin on my torso began to get red and irritated. By evening it was worse and lasted a number of days.”


Truth:– High doses of radiation can cause biological effects.– Doses from general diagnostic medical or dental

radiation exams are not at that level.– Doses from medical therapy or diagnostic

intervention using radiation could be at that level.– There have been rare case reports of allergic

reactions to the suspending agents in barium sulfate preparations that can account for the diffuse skin erythema with any GI study.


For:– "The thing that has to be done, in my judgment, to

satisfy the American public and to provide better security is to inspect electronically and with radiation detectors every container that's loaded overseas and then again when it comes off the ship before it goes inland," Virginia Port Authority executive director J.R. Bray said during a press conference.

– That's going to be expensive, but how expensive is it going to be to have another terrorist attack in this country?"

Fact or Myth: Radiation detectors at every port will prevent a terrorist attack.

From the March 14, 2006 Virginia Daily Press

Truth:– Radiation detectors at

ports may detect various types of materials (explosives, radiation) in incoming containers.

– The IAEA has indicated the most likely scenario for a dirty

Fact or Myth: Radiation detectors at every port will prevent a terrorist attack.

American Science and Engineering’s backscatter x-ray system detecting 120 lbs of explosives and 60 lbs of drugs hidden in fenders, bumpers, etc.

bomb to be radioactive materials stolen from a U.S. licensee …because it would be so quick and easy.

– It may prevent an attack if terrorists are bringing items in through our ports.

Fact or Myth: LNT* is a proven theory

For– Regulators use it to set

public and occupational dose limits

– Scientific consensus bodies (ICRP, NCRP, UNSCEAR, BEIR) use it as the basis for their radiation protection recommendations

– We base risk estimates on it

*Linear, No Threshold


Truth:– “…a linear nonthreshold dose-response relationship cannot

be excluded [from the possible relationships between risk and dose at low doses]. (NCRP Report 121, 1995)

– “…there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of the Linear No Threshold Hypothesis in the projection of the health effects of low-level radiation.” (ANS Position Statement, 2001)

– “…the question of the shape of the dose response relationship up to 20 mGy (2 rad) remains…” (BEIR VII, 2006)



Truth– There is substantial and convincing scientific

evidence for health risks following high-dose exposures. However, below 5–10 rem, risks of health effects are either too small to be observed or are nonexistent. (Health Physics Society 2004)

– The implication of the LNT model supported by ICRP, NCRP, UNSCEAR, the BEIR Committees, and others is that low doses are low risk (Wall, Kendall, Edwards, Bouffler, Muirhead, and Meara. What are the risks from medical x rays and other low dose radiation? BJR 79: 285-294; 2006)


Myths

What other common myths regarding radiation come to mind?

Any other questions?

Documents

Kelly Classic, Senior Health Physicist, Mayo Clinic - PowerPoint