X-ray radiation and the risk of multiple sclerosis: Do the site and dose of exposure matter?

The sporadic cases of radiation-activated multiple sclerosis (MS) has been previously described, with a few studies focused on the relationship between radiation and the risk of MS. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between history of X-ray radiation and MS. This case-control study was conducted on 150 individuals including 6 MS patients and 85 age- and sex-matched healthy controls enrolled using non-probability convenient sampling. Any history of previous Xray radiation consisted of job-related X-ray exposure, radiotherapy, radiographic evaluations including chest Xray, lumbosacral X-ray, skull X-ray, paranasal sinuses (PNS) X-ray, gastrointestinal (GI) series, foot X-ray and brain CT scanning were recorded and compared between two groups. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t test, Chi square and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve methods through SPSS software. History of both diagnostic [OR=3.06 (95% CI: 1.32-7.06)] and therapeutic [OR=7.54 (95% CI: 1.59- 35.76) X-ray radiations were significantly higher among MS group. Mean number of skull X rays [0.4 (SD=0.6) vs. 0.1 (SD=0.3), p=0.004] and brain CT scanning [0.9 (SD=0.8) vs. 0.5 (SD=0.7), p 0.005] was higher in MS group as well as mean of the cumulative X-ray radiation dosage [1.84 (SD=1.70) mSv vs. 1.11 (SD=1.54) mSv; p=0.008]. Our study was one of the first to show higher history of X-ray radiation in patients with MS compared to healthy controls. A possible association was also found between the dose and the site exposed to X-ray radiation and risk of developing MS.