In plain language
This review finds thyroid cancer risk rises after thyroid doses above about 50-100 mGy, mainly when exposure occurs in childhood; risk in adults is described as low. It does not study fluoroscopy staff.
At a glance
- Type of study
- Narrative review
- Who was studied
- General population, Patients
- Summary based on
- the full text
What it found
Thyroid cancer risk rises significantly after a mean childhood thyroid dose of about 50-100 mGy, with no threshold below which risk can be excluded.
Key figures: 0.05 to 0.1 Gy (50 to 100mGy)
Risk is highest with exposure in early childhood and decreases with age, being low in adults.
Key figures: fivefold greater risk per Gy before age 4 vs 10-14 years
Above the threshold dose range, risk increases linearly with dose up to 20-29 Gy.
Key figures: Odds ratio (OR): 9.8, 3.2-34.8
Minimum latency before radiation-related thyroid cancer appears is 5 to 10 years, with risk peaking at 20-35 years.
Key figures: 5 to 10 years
Radiation-induced papillary thyroid cancers frequently carry gene rearrangements (mostly RET/PTC) rather than point mutations.
Key figures: 23 of 26 tumours
Limits to keep in mind
Narrative review drawing mainly on atomic bomb, nuclear accident and childhood radiotherapy cohorts; it does not address adult occupational exposure, where the authors state risk is low, and screening intensity may bias apparent incidence.
Related research summaries
- Beir VII: Health Risks from Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation (2006, Guideline or consensus statement)
- Occupational Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Nodules in Healthcare Workers: A Review (2025, Narrative review)
- Radiation exposure in interventional cardiology: a narrative review of health effects and novel approaches to ensure radiation safety (2025, Narrative review)
- Occupational Risks of Chronic Low Dose Radiation Exposure in Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (2013, Narrative review)
- Updated Estimates of Radiation Risk for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease: Implications for Cardiology Practice (2024, Narrative review)
How this summary was made
ORSIF prepared this summary with AI assistance from the full text of the paper. A program then checked that the passage supporting each finding appears word for word in that source. A person has not yet reviewed each summary, so read the original before relying on a number. ORSIF summarizes research and does not endorse any product or company. Report a problem with this summary.
Prepared November 3, 2026.