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Changes in radiological imaging frequencies in children before and after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan

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Abstract

Purpose

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has raised concerns about radiation exposure, including medical radiation exposure such as X-ray and CT, in residents of Fukushima.

Materials and methods

We compared the numbers and the ratio of outpatients less than 10 years old who underwent imaging examinations [e.g., CT, X-ray, MRI, ultrasonography (US), etc.] at Fukushima Medical University hospital in Fukushima, Japan before (April 1, 2008–March 31, 2011) and after (April 1, 2011–March 31, 2014) the accident.

Results

The number of outpatients less than 10 years old decreased after the accident. The number of outpatients less than 10 years old who underwent CT and X-ray examinations also significantly decreased after the accident (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the number of pediatric radiological examinations decreased after the accident in Fukushima. We should continue to communicate with patients and their families to ensure that they understand the risks and benefits of radiological imaging in order to overcome their concerns about the nuclear disaster.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Global Health, Medicine and Welfare, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan

    Koji Yoshida

  2. Division of Promotion of Collaborative Research on Radiation and Environment Health Effects, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan

    Naomi Hayashida

  3. National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan

    Yoshiko Fukushima

  4. Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

    Akira Ohtsuru & Takashi Ohba

  5. Department of Radiation Disaster Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

    Arifumi Hasegawa

  6. Department of Radiation Oncology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

    Hisashi Sato

  7. Department of Radiology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan

    Fumio Shishido

  8. Education Center for Disaster Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan

    Koji Yoshida, Kiyotaka Yasui & Atsushi Kumagai

  9. Department of Radiological Technology, Fukushima Medical University Hospital, Fukushima, Japan

    Takeshi Yusa

  10. Department of Radioisotope Medicine, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan

    Takashi Kudo

  11. Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan

    Shunichi Yamashita

  12. Department of Global Health, Medicine and Welfare, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan

    Noboru Takamura

Authors
  1. Koji Yoshida
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  2. Naomi Hayashida
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  3. Yoshiko Fukushima
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  4. Akira Ohtsuru
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  5. Takashi Ohba
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  6. Arifumi Hasegawa
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  7. Hisashi Sato
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  8. Fumio Shishido
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  9. Kiyotaka Yasui
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  10. Atsushi Kumagai
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  11. Takeshi Yusa
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  12. Takashi Kudo
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  13. Shunichi Yamashita
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  14. Noboru Takamura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Noboru Takamura.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Yoshida, K., Hayashida, N., Fukushima, Y. et al. Changes in radiological imaging frequencies in children before and after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Jpn J Radiol 33, 619–626 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-015-0464-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-015-0464-8

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