VOLUME 21 - NUMBER 2 / April - June (Review article / Artículo de revisión)
Eduardo A. Tuta-Quintero, School of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia
Estefania Collazos-Bahamon, School of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia
Cindy Orozco-Bejarano, School of Medicine, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia
Juan Pimentel, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía. Colombia
Ionizing radiation (IR), energy transported through rays, and particles emitted can increase the risk of developing cancer. We conducted a scoping review using PubMed and Scopus about association between radiation exposure when performing a computed tomography (CT) scan and the risk of developing a malignant and/or benign neoplastic process. Some 17 retrospective cohort studies and two cross-sectional studies were included in the study. The malignant tumors associated with IR included leukemia and brain, thyroid, head, and neck cancer, mainly in patients under 18 years of age exposed to more than two CT scans of the head, chest, and abdominopelvic regions. Therefore, the studies described a higher risk of developing cancer in subjects exposed to the IR of a CT, with a focus on the pediatric population, female gender, and repeated exposures. It is necessary to conduct a greater number of clinical studies that include a longer follow-up time, broader types of neoplasms, and population-based subgroup analysis.
Keywords: Ionizing radiation. Computed tomography. Risk factor. Cancer.
