How can x rays be harmful

Any trapped gases, for instance, in the lungs, show up as dark patches because of their particularly low absorption rates. Radiography: This is the most familiar type of X-ray imaging. It is used to image broken bones, teeth, and the chest. Radiography also uses the smallest amounts of radiation. Fluoroscopy: The radiologist, or radiographer, can watch the X-ray of the patient moving in real-time and take snapshots.

This type of X-ray might be used to watch the activity of the gut after a barium meal. Fluoroscopy uses more X-ray radiation than a standard X-ray, but the amounts are still extremely small. Computed tomography CT : The patient lies on a table and enters a ring-shaped scanner.

A fan-shaped beam of X-rays passes through the patient onto a number of detectors. This procedure uses the highest dose of X-rays because a large number of images are taken in one sitting. X-rays can cause mutations in our DNA and, therefore, might lead to cancer later in life.

However, the benefits of X-ray technology far outweigh the potential negative consequences of using them. It is estimated that 0. Some scientists expect this level to rise in parallel with the increased use of CT scans in medical procedures. At least 62 million CT scans were carried out in America in According to one study, by the age of 75 years, X-rays will increase the risk of cancer by 0.

In other words, the risks are minimal compared to the benefits of medical imaging. Each procedure has a different associated risk that depends on the type of X-ray and the part of the body being imaged. The list below shows some of the more common imaging procedures and compares the radiation dose to the normal background radiation that all people encounter on a daily basis. These radiation figures are for adults. Children are more susceptible to the radioactive effects of X-rays.

While X-rays are linked to a slightly increased risk of cancer, there is an extremely low risk of short-term side effects. Exposure to high radiation levels can have a range of effects, such as vomiting, bleeding, fainting, hair loss , and the loss of skin and hair.

However, X-rays provide such a low dose of radiation that they are not believed to cause any immediate health problems. The fact that X-rays have been used in medicine for such a significant length of time shows how beneficial they are considered to be.

Although an X-ray alone is not always sufficient to diagnose a disease or condition, they are an essential part of the diagnostic process. This article tells you about the radiation risks of having x-rays scans which use ionising radiation.

Some Imaging procedures use x-rays which are a special type of radiation called 'ionising radiation'. Ionising radiation is also found all around you in the soil, sun, air, plants, food, drink and buildings you live in.

This is called background radiation. The amount of radiation you receive is measured in Sieverts Sv. We all receive about 2 thousandths of a Sievert 2 mSv from background radiation every year, which comes from space and from the rocks of the earth. This is a very small amount in the 'low dose range'. X-rays are used to take pictures of bones and some parts of inside your body, including the lungs.

CT scans, which use x-rays, take more detailed pictures cross-sections of inside your body, such as the lungs, bones, blood vessels and other organs of the body.

Nuclear medicine and PET scans use a small amount of radioactive material. This is either injected into you, or you breathe it in or swallow it. A special camera is then used which detects the energy from the radioactive material in your body. Ionising radiation may cause damage to the cells in your body. This is usually very minor and does not cause any serious damage, however, large doses may cause the cells to become cancerous.

A very low dose x-ray, such as a chest x-ray, has a tiny risk. Because of the amount of radiation used in x-ray examinations is small, the chance that x-rays will cause these problems is very low. Still, it makes sense to avoid unnecessary risks, no matter how small.

There is no number that is definitely safe, just as there is no number that is definitely dangerous. Every x-ray can involve some tiny risk. If the x-ray is needed to find out about a medical problem, then that small risk is certainly worth taking. How will it help determine your treatment? Feel free to talk with your doctor; you have a right to understand why an x-ray is suggested.

Remember, the risk of not having a needed x-ray is greater than the tiny risk from the radiation. Because the unborn baby is growing so quickly, it can be more easily affected by radiation than a grownup.