Pneumonia is the most frequent respiratory disease in children and can even cause death. That is why it is extremely important to make an accurate diagnosis as quickly as possible. If this requires imaging tests, normally X-rays are taken. But there is an alternative: ultrasound. MEDICA.de talks with Dr. Jörg Detlev Moritz about the risks of X-rays for children and the benefits of ultrasound scans.
Dr. Moritz, why are X-rays risky particularly for children?
Dr. Jörg Moritz: Maybe you can best imagine it like this: cells are damaged most during the cell division phase. A child’s organism is still growing. That’s why there is a higher rate of cell division that might easier lead to damages. The following damages might occur:
X-radiation can induce cancer for example. The latency period is approximately 20 years. Due to the higher life expectancy of children, the probability of radiation-induced cancer to clinically manifest is much higher compared to older adults. ...
Read the complete interview with Dr. Jörg Moritz at MEDICA-tradefair.com!