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. 2024 Mar 5;24(1):298.
doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-12050-x.

COVID-19 and cancer risk arising from ionizing radiation exposure through CT scans: a cross-sectional study

Golshan Mahmoudi  1 , Heidar Toolee  1 , Reza Maskani  1 , Farzaneh Jokar  2 , Milad Mokfi  2 , Ali Hosseinzadeh  3   4
Affiliations

COVID-19 and cancer risk arising from ionizing radiation exposure through CT scans: a cross-sectional study

Golshan Mahmoudi et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: The surge in the utilization of CT scans for COVID-19 diagnosis and monitoring during the pandemic is undeniable. This increase has brought to the forefront concerns about the potential long-term health consequences, especially radiation-induced cancer risk. This study aimed to quantify the potential cancer risk associated with CT scans performed for COVID-19 detection.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study data from a total of 561 patients, who were referred to the radiology center at Imam Hossein Hospital in Shahroud, was collected. CT scan reports were categorized into three groups based on the radiologist's interpretation. The BEIR VII model was employed to estimate the risk of radiation-induced cancer.

Results: Among the 561 patients, 299 (53.3%) were males and the average age of the patients was 49.61 ± 18.73 years. Of the CT scans, 408 (72.7%) were reported as normal. The average age of patients with normal, abnormal, and potentially abnormal CT scans was 47.57 ± 19.06, 54.80 ± 16.70, and 58.14 ± 16.60 years, respectively (p-value < 0.001). The average effective dose was 1.89 ± 0.21 mSv, with 1.76 ± 0.11 mSv for males and 2.05 ± 0.29 mSv for females (p-value < 0.001). The average risk of lung cancer was 3.84 ± 1.19 and 9.73 ± 3.27 cases per 100,000 patients for males and females, respectively. The average LAR for all cancer types was 10.30 ± 6.03 cases per 100,000 patients.

Conclusions: This study highlights the critical issue of increased CT scan usage for COVID-19 diagnosis and the potential long-term consequences, especially the risk of cancer incidence. Healthcare policies should be prepared to address this potential rise in cancer incidence and the utilization of CT scans should be restricted to cases where laboratory tests are not readily available or when clinical symptoms are severe.

Keywords: COVID-19; Computed tomography; Radiation cancer risk.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Age distribution concerning the normal, abnormal, and potentially abnormal CT scan report
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
CTDIvol (in mGy) frequency distribution
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The box plot of DLP in mGy.cm, for (a) males, females, and total cases and (b) normal, abnormal, and potentially abnormal CT report
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Lifetime attributable risk per 100,000 patients subjected to CT scan for COVID-19 diagnosis for (a) each cancer site for males and females, (b) lung cancer for different age groups, and (c) all cancer types considered in this study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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