The use of computed tomography (CT) is widespread in most high and middle income countries around the world (UNSCEAR, 2008). Though there is no doubt to its value, concerns have been raised about cancer risks related to ionising radiation exposure from CTs, particularly in children, whose longer expected lifespan translates into a higher number of years at risk of developing a radiation-induced malignancy. Within the MEDIRAD project, WP5 devoted to paediatric CT scanning, aims at improving our understanding of the potential effects of exposure to...

Our study builds upon a subset of national studies from the European EPI-CT cohort (http://epi-ct.iarc.fr/) of over 1.1 million patients (Bosch de Basea 2015) and comprises two main studies: 1) An update of the cancer incidence, vital status and CT scanning data of the largest national cohorts in Europe (from France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK) to improve direct estimation of cancer risk. 2) A molecular epidemiological case-control study of haematological malignancies and brain tumours nested within the French, Spanish and Swedish cohorts...

CT technology has evolved considerably since its introduction in the 1970s, resulting in faster data acquisition and better image quality for diagnostic medical purposes. CT related doses, particularly to paediatric and adolescent patients, have also been reduced. Given the large number of children undergoing CTs in developed countries, the public health and radiation protection implications of this exposure are important. Activities performed in MEDIRAD fit our research objectives to better understand the impact of medical exposure in children and to contribute to improving radiological protection...

1. I. Thierry-Chef; M.M:R: Canet; E. Cardis; ISGlobal, Barcelona/ES - nothing to disclose 2. M.-O. Bernier; IRSN, Fontenay-aux-Roses/FR - nothing to disclose 3. G. Armengol; UAB, Barcelona/ES - nothing to disclose 4. R. Benotmane; SCK CEN, Mol/BE - nothing to disclose 5. M. S. Pearce; UNEW, Newcastle-upon-Tyne/UK - nothing to disclose 6. M. Hauptmann; MHB, Neuruppin/DE - nothing to disclose 7. M. Kaijser;KI, Stockholm/SE - nothing to disclose

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the effects of Atomic Radiation. Volume 1 Annex A: Medical Radiation Exposures. New York: United Nations; 2008. Bosch de Basea M, Pearce MS, Kesminiene A, Bernier M-O, Dabin J, Engels H, et al. EPI-CT: design, challenges and epidemiological methods of an international study on cancer risk after paediatric and young adult CT. J Radiol Prot 2015;35:611–28