A clinical study of radiation cataract formation in adult life following gamma  irradiation of the lens in early childhood

Abstract

Aims-To analyse long term eVects on the lens of radium irradiation during infancy. Methods-An infant cohort (n = 20, median age 6 months) treated for skin haemangioma with one or two radium-226 needles located at or within the orbital rim was examined 30 to 45 years after radiation. Detailed information about the treatment procedure was available for all cases. Subcapsular opacities were graded semiquantitatively according to a scale based on extent and density of the opacities. Results-A high prevalence of light to moderate posterior, subcapsular, and cortical cataract formation was found in the lenses on the treated side irradiated with a mean dose ranging from approximately 1 to 8 Gy. The cataract formation increased as a function of dose. The presence of subcapsular punctate opacities and vacuoles in the lenses on the untreated side receiving irradiation of an estimated dose varying around 0.1 Gy indicates a higher sensitivity than expected. Conclusion-The growing lens during infancy is sensitive to radium irradiation at doses lower than those previously stated. The eye lens seems suitable for studies of eVects of low dose radiation since damaged cells are retained in the lens for a lifetime. (Br J Ophthalmol 1997;81:261-266) Ocular complications are encountered following ionising radiation on the eye.1 The lens has a relatively high radiosensitivity and a major ocular complication associated with irradiation is posterior subcapsular cataract formation.

A Comparison of Radiation Exposure between Diagnostic CTA and DSA Examinations of Cerebral and Cervicocerebral Vessels

“…Radiation cataract formation has been observed in adults after ␥ irradiation to 100 mGy during childhood. 31 In a diagnostic procedure, the 100-mGy threshold 21 for brain and skin may be exceeded with children. 32 The radiation-related injuries must be taken into consideration in the rare cases of imaging infant patients, who often arrive for follow-up studies or require repeated treatments.…”

Lens Exposure during Brain Scans Using Multidetector Row CT Scanners: Methods for Estimation of Lens Dose

“…12,13 Furthermore, the lens of a child is more sensitive to radiation exposure than that of an adult. 2,14,15 Wilde and Sjö-strand 14 reported a clinical study of radiation-induced lens injuries among patients receiving radium irradiation to treat hemangioma in the eyelid in early childhood (age range, 1.5-13 months). In 13 of 16 untreated eyes with irradiation of 0.04 -0.12 Gy, posterior subcapsular opacities (n ϭ 12) or posterior subcapsular cataract (n ϭ 1) was found.…”

Ionizing Radiation as a Risk Factor for Cataract: What about Low-Dose Effects?

“…The second study dealt with a cohort of 20 adults, treated before the age of 6 months by radium irradiation for skin haemangioma of the eyelid [19]. A high prevalence of light to moderate PSC and cortical cataract formation was found in the lenses on the treated side irradiated with a mean dose ranging from approximately 1 to 8 Gy.…”