Availability of ultrasonography in health examination of atomic bomb survivors

A total of 1424 A-bomb survivors, consisting of 596 men and 827 women, participated in the health screening during the period from August 1985 through March 1988. Abnormal findings of ultrasonography were observed in 64% for men and 53% for women. According to age groups, the incidence of abnormal findings tended to increase with aging in men. In women, it was independent of aging. The most common abnormal finding was billiary calculus (13%), followed by renal cyst, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, and liver disturbance. Suspected hepatic tumor, hepatomegaly, liver disturbance, fatty liver, and liver cirrhosis were more frequent in men than women. The incidence of billiary or gallbladder calculus was significantly higher in women than men. Among 56 survivors (13%) with suspected malignancy, it was confirmed in 25 survivors (19 with primary or metastatic liver carcinoma, 3 with renal cell carcinoma, 2 with cholangiocarcinoma, and one with pancreatic carcinoma). Of 9 hepatoma patients, 8 had an increased alpha-fetoprotein. Hematologic findings were normal in all of the patients with renal cell carcinoma. (N.K.)