As more and more Americans undergo CT scans and other medical imaging scans involving intense X-rays, a new study suggests that many of them should take a pre-scan drug that could protect their kidneys from damage. The inexpensive drug, called N-acetylcysteine, can prevent serious kidney damage that can be caused by the iodine-containing “dyes” that […]
Childhood cancer survivors who received chest irradiation at risk for pulmonary hypertension in middle age
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital investigators found evidence that chest irradiation may leave some adult survivors of childhood cancer in danger of developing pulmonary hypertension in middle age. Childhood cancer survivors treated with chest irradiation or certain chemotherapy drugs are known to be at risk for a variety of treatment-related heart problems. But the study […]
Even Low Exposure To X-rays, Gamma Rays Increases Cancer Risk, Study Finds
Exposure to X-rays and gamma rays, even at low-dose levels, increases risk of cancer. That is the bottom line of a comprehensive five-year study by a National Research Council (NRC) committee that included Stanford’s Herbert L. Abrams, a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. “There appears to be no […]