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Pediatric Radiology
Published in: Pediatric Radiology 13/2015

01-12-2015 | Review

Risks to the fetus from diagnostic imaging during pregnancy: review and proposal of a clinical protocol

Authors: Mafalda Gomes, Alexandra Matias, Filipe Macedo

Published in: Pediatric Radiology | Issue 13/2015

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Abstract

Every day, medical practitioners face the dilemma of exposing pregnant or possibly pregnant patients to radiation from diagnostic examinations. Both doctors and patients often have questions about the risks of radiation. The most vulnerable period is between the 8th and 15th weeks of gestation. Deterministic effects like pregnancy loss, congenital malformations, growth retardation and neurobehavioral abnormalities have threshold doses above 100–200 mGy. The risk is considered negligible at 50 mGy and in reality no diagnostic examination exceeds this limit. The risk of carcinogenesis is slightly higher than in the general population. Intravenous iodinated contrast is discouraged, except in highly selected patients. Considering all the possible noxious effects of radiation exposure, measures to diminish radiation are essential and affect the fetal outcome. Nonionizing procedures should be considered whenever possible and every radiology center should have its own data analysis on fetal radiation exposure. In this review, we analyze existing literature on fetal risks due to radiation exposure, producing a clinical protocol to guide safe radiation use in a clinical setting.
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Metadata
Title
Risks to the fetus from diagnostic imaging during pregnancy: review and proposal of a clinical protocol
Authors
Mafalda Gomes
Alexandra Matias
Filipe Macedo
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Pediatric Radiology / Issue 13/2015
Print ISSN: 0301-0449
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1998
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-015-3403-z

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