Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site cadre.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!rochester!cmu-cs-pt!cadre!geb From: geb@cadre.ARPA (Gordon E. Banks) Newsgroups: net.med Subject: Re: X-Ray exposures Message-ID: <500@cadre.ARPA> Date: Fri, 23-Aug-85 16:46:31 EDT Article-I.D.: cadre.500 Posted: Fri Aug 23 16:46:31 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 26-Aug-85 01:30:57 EDT References: <895@brl-tgr.ARPA> Reply-To: geb@cadre.ARPA (Gordon E. Banks) Distribution: net Organization: Decision Systems Lab., University of Pittsburgh Lines: 20 In article <895@brl-tgr.ARPA> wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) writes: > What ill effects have been noticed from these X-ray >exposures, and what symptoms should those of us who have been so exposed >look out for? Have there been any class-action suits against X-ray >machine manufacturers or the like over such widespread misuse of the >technology? > There are 2 types of misuse that have been documented to cause thyroid cancer, 1: radiation of children with large thymus glands, 2: radiation treatments for acne. Neither are done any more. You might have trouble suing the manufacturer unless they sold the machine for the purpose of performing those specific tasks, since there are legitimate uses of x ray therapy, and it is up to the doctor to decide when to use it. You could sue the doctor PROVIDED you can show you suffered damage (i.e. thyroid cancer, etc.), but not just because you are miffed. Maybe some others are aware of other cases of misuse that have injured classes of patients, but I am not.