Grant: Operating Grant - Secondary Analysis of Databases

What we know: an increasing number of children with severe diseases are surviving to become adults. They require life-long care with numerous procedures to diagnose and treat their condition. Commonly, they are subject to x-ray procedures that emit ionization radiation. Studies have shown that such procedures are increasing in patients. Atomic bomb survivors in Japan have an increased risk of cancer from high doses of radiation. More recently the catastrophic events in Japan have again raised the question of the potential dangers of radiation. What we want to learn: over the last 4 decades, infants previously known as "blue babies" became one of the fastest growing population with chronic life-long diseases. We showed that there were 180,000 patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) in Canada in 2000. Using a high quality data constructed with anonymous health information in Quebec, we can measure life-time use of cardiac procedures that use ionization radiation as well as cancer. We recently showed that patients undergoing similar procedures following heart attacks may have an increased risk of cancer. We want to study radiation from cardiac procedures in children and adults on cancer rates in CHD patients. Why it is important: for health care workers, the government mandates badges for those who work in Radiology Departments to track the radiation they are exposed to. But for patients, no such regulation exists. Why? Perhaps since the risk from a single x-ray procedure is negligible. However what about when patients have chronic diseases and have numerous procedures? Should patients know the potential risks and discuss alternative tests with their doctors? We think the answer in yes. But we need to do studies to see what the risk in order to provide, patients, doctors and governments with accurate information. With this study, we are proposing to provide these numbers. We want our patients and our governments to be informed.