Health Effects of Medical Radiation Exposures v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Health Effects of Medical Radiation Exposures
IRAS ID
160487
Contact name
Peter George Blain
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
We have long been aware that high levels of radiation from a variety of sources can be harmful, but for most people there is very little likelihood that they will be exposed to damaging levels. The only time that most people are exposed to any significant levels of radiation is when they are have medical investigations such as an X-ray and this poses no major risks. Newer uses of diagnostic and therapeutic radiation such as CT scans and tomographs, have higher levels of exposure than a single X-ray and are being used much more often. While we assume these medical uses of radiation are safe, the higher doses may have some effects although we don't know what these may be or have any measures of these effects. This study will look at two groups of patients undergoing a variety of investigations or treatments involving radiation and aim to determine if there are any possible health effects from these exposures. We will do this by taking certain groups of patients such as those undergoing CT scans or radiotherapy, and ask them to provide blood, and other tissue samples both before and after they have their treatment/investigation. We will then measure certain changes in the tissue which we think may indicate radiation exposure or damage and relate these to the level of exposure which the patient receives. We will also look for new markers of exposure in the tissues from patients to see if these are more sensitive than our existing tests since these could be used in future to assess very low levels of radiation exposure. Our long term aim is therefore to be able to show that existing uses of medical radiation and the exposures received by patients are safe and cause no damage or ill health effects.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NE/0053
Date of REC Opinion
2 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion