Your doctor has just ordered an X-ray and you’re nervous. You wonder, What if they find something? Then, after a moment, you also wonder, Is the X-ray safe?

If you’re like most people, you’ve heard about the risks of radiation exposure and you’re not sure how much your imaging test will produce. Here are some things you should know.

• X-rays are forms of radiant energy that can penetrate your body. This allows a radiology technician to produce images of your organs, bones, and other body parts. A radiologist then reviews these images.

• An effective dose of radiation can be measured in a unit called a millisievert (mSv). Different body parts have different sensitivities, so the exposure for each X-ray can vary.

• Computed tomography (CT) involves taking several images to produce a cross-sectional review of certain body parts. Therefore, the exposure from CT scans is higher than from conventional X-rays. Other diagnostic tools, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, do not use radiation at all.

• Every day, we are exposed to radiation all around us. This is called background exposure. Sources can be radon in our homes, cosmic rays during air travel, and radioactive materials from space. In general, most people in the United States experience background exposure of 3 mSv per year. Some examples:

• A regular chest X-ray has an effective dose of 0.1 mSv, which equals about 10 days of background exposure.
• A mammogram has an effective dose of 0.7 mSv, which equals about 3 months of background exposure.
• A CT of your spine has an effective dose of 6 mSv, which equals about 2 years of background exposure.

• Radiation technologists are highly trained. They take every precaution and use the lowest dose of radiation possible for each test.

• Radiation is produced just briefly, when a radiation technologist flips a switch. No radiation remains afterward.

• If you require frequent X-rays, keep a log of them. Discuss any concerns you have with your primary doctor or your radiologist. Having X-rays is often a medical necessity, but don’t hesitate to ask about the pros and cons.

• If you are pregnant or suspect that you might me, be sure to tell the doctor prescribing the imaging test, as well as the radiology technician. You may still require the exam, but further precautions can be taken to protect your baby.

• Remember that in most cases the amount of radiation used is very small, and the risks are greatly outweighed by the benefits of diagnosis and treatment.

To learn more about radiology and how it can benefit you, contact Plantation General Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-866-442-2362. Serving Plantation and surrounding Broward County, we’re here to answer all your questions.

Sources:

Plantation General Hospital

RadiologyInfo.Org
Image Gently: The Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging

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