 Terry Bechtold, a mammography technician at Blair Stubbs & Associates Radiology Inc., places a thyroid shield on Leanne Biem on Friday afternoon.--NEWS PHOTO IAN SORENSEN |
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The prevalence of thyroid cancer more than doubled between 1997 and 2008 with an annual increase of 7.9 per cent over the period and a 9.5 per cent increase from 2000 to 2008, said Statistics Canada in a report released this week.
The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine glands found in the neck and controls the body's use of energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones and it regulates the body's metabolism, says Wikipedia. It is located just under the skin across the windpipe.
Nodules can occur in the area and most are not cause for concern but some can be cancerous. The exact cause of thyroid cancer is unknown but Dr. Oz recently suggested there might be a connection with being exposed to high levels of radiation in the head and neck region.
"If you are having a mammogram there is a "thyroid shield" that patients can ask for," said Tom Strain, clinical manager at Blair Stubbs & Associates Radiology Inc. "The shield is a fine sheet of lead that blocks the thyroid. There are some cases where this shield cannot be used."
River Dental uses digital radiology to minimize exposure to radiation when doing dental X-rays, said a spokesperson to the News on Friday. They are looking at the concerns people have in this regard but they do meet the current standards prescribed by the Alberta Dental Association.
