It is a beneficial process when doctors are looking for some specific diagnosis. It also serves the purpose of a guide during specific procedures like inserting devices or tubes into the body. Almost all of us are exposed to certain types of emissions. When we go outside in the sun, we have to come across various radiations. Well, these radiations are the natural radiations. Apart from the natural radiations, the artificial radiation that we come across is the x-rays.
The intensity of the radiation depends on the medical examination that you are going through. For example, teeth, limbs, and chest test need a low concentration of radiation. But there are exams that demands more extensive uses of x-ray. For those exams, there are even modified versions of x-ray like fluoroscopy and CT scan.
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Sign me up. Anthony L. But we don't really know for sure, since the effects of radiation damage typically take many years to appear, and the increase in high-dose imaging has occurred only since So until we know more, you will want to keep your exposure to medical radiation as low as possible. You can do that in several ways, including these:.
Discuss any high-dose diagnostic imaging with your clinician. If you need a CT or nuclear scan to treat or diagnose a medical condition, the benefits usually outweigh the risks. Still, if your clinician has ordered a CT, it's reasonable to ask what difference the result will make in how your condition is managed; for example, will it save you an invasive procedure?
Keep track of your x-ray history. It won't be completely accurate because different machines deliver different amounts of radiation, and because the dose you absorb depends on your size, your weight, and the part of the body targeted by the x-ray. But you and your clinician will get a ballpark estimate of your exposure. Consider a lower-dose radiation test. If your clinician recommends a CT or nuclear medicine scan, ask if another technique would work, such as a lower-dose x-ray or a test that uses no radiation, such as ultrasound which uses high-frequency sound waves or MRI which relies on magnetic energy.
Consider less-frequent testing. If you're getting regular CT scans for a chronic condition, ask your clinician if it's possible to increase the time between scans. And if you feel the CT scans aren't helping, discuss whether you might take a different approach, such as lower-dose imaging or observation without imaging. 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. An average CT scan might raise the chance of fatal cancer by 1 in 2, This figure pales in comparison to the natural incidence of fatal cancer in the US of 1 in 5.
Additionally, there is some debate as to whether very low X-ray exposure can cause cancer at all. A recent report on the matter, published in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology , claims that X-ray procedures carry no risk. The paper argues that the type of radiation experienced in a scan is not enough to cause long-lasting damage.
The authors claim that any damage caused by low-dose radiation is repaired by the body, leaving no lasting mutations. It is only when a certain threshold is reached that permanent damage can be produced. This threshold, according to the authors, is far higher than the standard X-ray dose from any type of scan. It is important to note that these safety facts apply to adults only. CT scans in children may triple the risk of brain cancer and leukemia, especially when administered to the abdomen and chest at certain doses.
The authors go on to point out that despite being bombarded by cosmic rays and background radiation, the people of America are living longer than ever, partly because of advancements in medical imaging, such as the CT scan. Overall, the importance of making the right diagnosis and choosing the correct course of treatment makes X-rays far more beneficial than they are dangerous.
Whether there is a small risk or no risk at all, the X-ray is here to stay. Magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans produce detailed images of the organs and tissues in the body. Computed tomography CT , otherwise known as computed axial tomography CAT scans, give doctors explicit internal images of the body, which they can…. Barium is a white liquid used to coat the organs of the digestive system during an X-ray.
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