Dangerous effects of X-rays

LEANNA GOWER

Every year, seven out of ten Americans get an X-ray done, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They’re an easy way for doctors to see what’s wrong without any invasive surgeries or procedures. However, how many of those Americans know all of the risks?

Many don’t bat an eye when met with a request for an X-ray because it has become standard practice. X-rays are useful for many things, such as monitoring ongoing conditions or diseases like scoliosis, arthritis, and osteoporosis or figuring out why someone might be feeling pain.

“X-rays might be a bit of a crutch for doctors to use in order to diagnose a patient, but I also don’t know of any better alternatives that would replace the practice,” said Nolan Scheetz, a senior at Carlmont who has had so many X-rays, that he’s lost count.

As people have accepted X-ray imaging technology into their lives, the FDA has recognized that sometimes people get X-rays taken that aren’t medically needed. Though they can be great tools for maintaining good health, overexposure to radiation can negatively affect your health and even increase your risk of getting cancer later in life.

“They’ve offered X-rays before, and my mom has been like, ‘Can we do this any other way?’ Just because I’ve already had so many,” said Meg Cotton, a senior at Carlmont who’s

received at least 10 X-rays so far.

Typically, the risk depends on the radiation dosage, which is measured in sievert (Sv) and millisievert (mSv) units. Both units are commonly used to compare different radiation imaging procedures, accounting for the biological effect of radiation, varying from type of radiation and vulnerability of the body.

The amount of radiation used in X-ray examinations is small, so the odds of exams causing health problems are minimal. However, Computed Tomography scans (CT scans) utilize a much larger dosage of radiation. The scans can see inside the body and are often used to see into the brain, or detect muscle or joint issues, thus requiring more radiation for the bigger task.

A study conducted in 2009 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found the risk of cancer from CT scans in 31,462 patients was estimated to be 0.7% more than the rest of the United States, though, for patients with multiple CT scans, the risk increased ranging from 2.7%- 12% higher.

“I might have a higher risk of getting cancer given how many scans and X-rays I’ve received; in fact, I would assume I do,” Scheetz said. “I can’t say that such a risk has been explicitly brought up to me, but that may have to do with my wish to not really know the possible side effects.”

The fear of not knowing what underlying medical issues might be ailing you is just as daunting as the risks of X-rays. Like many medications and health practices, the positives of X-rays and CT scans can come with risks.

“If there is something wrong, usually with a bone, they do make sure I have an X-ray done because there’s no other good way to really tell if something is wrong,” Cotton said.

While the risk is slight, the FDA urges Americans to avoid unnecessary risks: always ask your doctor what the X-ray is for and get an X-ray if there’s a serious problem. You’re better off taking the small risks involved in an X-ray than having an undiagnosed condition.

“I’ve had a lot of X-rays taken, and probably only half of them actually found anything that was important,” Scheetz said. “At the same time, having the reassurance that there was nothing noticeably broken was very helpful.”

APPROXIMATE EFFECTIVE RADIATION DOSES OF IMAGING PROCEDURES Procedure Average Effective Dose

X-ray, arm or leg X-ray, panoramic dental X-ray, chest X-ray, abdominal X-ray, lumbar spine CT, head CT, spine CT, pelvis CT, chest CT, abdomen CT, colonoscopy CT, angiogram 0.001 mSv 0.01 mSv 0.1 mSv 0.7 mSv 1.5 mSv 2.0 mSv 6.0 mSv 6.0 mSv 7.0 mSv 8.0 mSv 10.0 mSv 16.0 mSv

Mettler FA, et al. “Effective Doses in Radiology and Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine: A Catalog,” Radiology (July 2008), Vol. 248, pp. 254–63.