Nasopharyngeal radium irradiation: The lessons of history.

Kees Graamans

International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology 2017 Feb

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In the Netherlands, nasopharyngeal radium irradiation was started in 1945. The indications included refractory symptoms of otitis media with effusion and other adenoid-related disorders after adenoidectomy. It was considered a safe and effective therapy. Its use decreased sharply in 1958, following a worldwide media avalanche around the dramatic events in the treatment of a 5-year-old child in Utrecht, enhancing the widespread fear of radioactivity. This case history illustrates the powerful role of the media in medical decision-making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.