This week's artwork was donated by Morgan , a pediatric cancer patient who received treatment at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia . National Cancer Institute Staging Procedures used for staging of breast cancer should be modified to avoid radiation exposure to the fetus in pregnant women.
Nuclear scans cause fetal radiation exposure.
If such scans are essential for evaluation, hydration and Foley catheter drainage of the bladder can be used to prevent retention of radioactivity. Timing of the exposure to radiation relative to the gestational age of the fetus may be more critical than the actual dose of radiation delivered. Doses of 10 rad may result in fewer defects. However, no data evaluating the safety of MRI during pregnancy are available. Carcinogenesis in the fetus exposed to radiation is another consideration.