Benefits and Risks of Medical Imaging with Radiation
- Gives healthcare providers a better view of organs, blood vessels, tissues, and bones.
- Provides detailed information to help decide whether surgery is a good treatment option.
- Can be used to guide medical procedures to place catheters, stents, or other devices inside the body (fluoroscopy, a type of imaging).
What medical imaging procedures do not use ionizing radiation?
What is medical imaging?
What is MRI scan?
What is ultrasound imaging?
What type of radiation is used in medical imaging?
Why do doctors use imaging?
What is the image Gently Alliance?
See 4 more
About this website
Why do we use radiation in medicine?
Nuclear medicine uses radioactive material inside the body to see how organs or tissue are functioning (for diagnosis) or to target and destroy damaged or diseased organs or tissue (for treatment).
What medical tests use radiation?
Diagnostic tests that use radiation include: radiography (X-rays), fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), intraoperative imaging and mammography.
Is medical radiation safe?
Most diagnostic tests that use ionizing radiation (eg, x-rays, CT, radionuclide scanning) expose patients to relatively low doses of radiation that are generally considered safe.
What are the dangers of medical radiation?
In large doses, radiation can cause serious tissue damage and increase a person's risk of later developing cancer. The low doses of radiation used for imaging tests might increase a person's cancer risk slightly, but it's important to put this risk into perspective.
What test has the most radiation?
CT scansCT scans and nuclear imaging accounted for three-fourths of radiation exposure, with nuclear stress tests, also known as myocardial perfusion imaging, identified as the procedure accounting for the largest single radiation exposure.
Which medical procedure uses nuclear radiation?
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an example of a nuclear medicine procedure used to diagnose disease. A PET scan uses a radioactive substance that is inserted into the bloodstream and travels to a specific organ. Doctors use a special camera to watch how the tracer moves.
Do ultrasounds use radiation?
Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can also show movement of the body's internal organs as well as blood flowing through the blood vessels. Unlike X-ray imaging, there is no ionizing radiation exposure associated with ultrasound imaging.
What are the five sources of radiation used in the health sector?
The following information briefly describes some examples of human-made radiation sources:Medical Radiation Sources. ... Consumer Products. ... Atmospheric Testing of Nuclear Weapons. ... X-ray Machines. ... X-rays. ... High Energy X-ray Machines and/or Accelerators. ... Sealed Sources.
Radiation in Healthcare: Imaging Procedures | NCEH | CDC
Medical imaging tests are non-invasive procedures that allow doctors to diagnose diseases and injuries without being intrusive. Some of these tests involve exposure to ionizing radiation, which can present risks to patients. However, if patients understand the benefits and risks, they can make the best decisions about choosing a particular medical imaging procedure.
Radiation Exposure From Medical Exams and Procedures
2 • During interventional procedures, fluoroscopy is used by cardiologists, gastroenterologists, pain specialists, and radiologists to perform procedures inside the body. • In nuclear medicine procedures, a small amount of radioactive material is inhaled, injected, or swallowed by the
Ionizing Radiation - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health ...
While everyone is exposed to natural background radiation, workers may also be exposed to ionizing radiation in workplaces with radiation sources.These radiation sources can pose a health risk to workers if not properly controlled. Occupational settings with ionizing radiation sources include:. Medical and dental offices (e.g., X-rays).
What happens during a nuclear medicine imaging procedure?from cdc.gov
During a nuclear medicine imaging procedure, doctors give patients radiopharmaceuticals. Depending on the type of medical examination they can be breathed in (inhaled), injected, or swallowed.
What are some common nuclear medicine procedures?from cdc.gov
There are several nuclear medicine procedures for diagnosing illnesses and treating diseases.
How does nuclear medicine work?from epa.gov
Nuclear medicine procedures help detect and treat diseases by using a small amount of radioactive material, called a radiopharmaceutical. Some radiopharmaceuticals are used with imaging equipment to detect diseases. Radiopharmaceuticals can also be placed inside the body near a cancerous tumor to shrink or destroy it.
What are the NRC regulations?from nrc.gov
The NRC and before it, the Atomic Energy Commission, have regulated the medical use of radioactive materials since 1946. The regulations are laid out in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 35. In developing and implementing these regulations, the NRC follows its Medical Use Policy Statement. The policy says the NRC will: 1 regulate the uses of radionuclides in medicine to provide for the safety of workers and the public; 2 not intrude into medical judgments affecting patients, except as necessary to provide for the safety of workers and the public; 3 regulate radiation safety primarily to ensure that the doctor’s directions are carried out, when justified by the risk to the patient; and 4 consider industry and professional standards for acceptable approaches to radiation safety.
What is radioactive iodine used for?from nrc.gov
Radioactive iodine is used in imaging the thyroid gland. For therapy, radioactive materials are used to kill cancerous tissue, shrink a tumor or reduce pain. There are three main types of therapy in nuclear medicine. Teletherapy targets cancerous tissue with an intense beam of radiation.
What is the nucleus of an element?from bathmedicalmuseum.org
All elements have a nucleus containing neutrons (no charge) and protons (posi tively charged) orbited by electrons (negatively charged). A carbon atom, for instance, has a nucleus with 6 neutrons and 6 protons with 6 electrons surrounding it. This is therefore a stable element. The number of protons defines an element’s atomic number. A nucleus becomes unstable when it contains different numbers of protons or neutrons making the element radioactive, i.e. radiating energy in the form of alpha, beta and gamma rays. This radiation results in a gradual loss of protons or neutrons, thereby changing the nature of the element and is termed “decay”. In the process of decay, variations of the same radioactive element are produced, also having unstable nuclei and therefore radioactive. These are called radioactive isotopes. Their atoms have the same number of protons and electrons but different numbers of neutrons. Their radioactivity is often short lived so, with certain precautions, they are useful in medicine for diagnostic tests such as measuring blood flow or gland function.
What is the NRC's medical use policy?from nrc.gov
The NRC and before it, the Atomic Energy Commission, have regulated the medical use of radioactive materials since 1946. The regulations are laid out in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 35. In developing and implementing these regulations, the NRC follows its Medical Use Policy Statement.
What type of radiation is used in a CAT scan?
CT scans – used to be called CAT scans. Another type of radiation is known as Gamma rays. These are used for: Bone Scans use a Gamma camera. Non-ionising radiations include: MRI scans.
What is gamma ray?
Gamma rays in tests. Gamma rays have a similar frequency to x-rays but are not produced by a machine. They are the resulting energy produced during the radioactive decay process of a "radioisotope". For a bone scan procedure, a radioactive liquid is injected into your child’s blood and it then spreads around the body.
What is the name of the scan that looks like a doughnut?
Tests using no harmful radiation. MRI Scan. This scan uses a machine that looks like a big, long doughnut. When your child lies inside the doughnut, your child is surrounded by a big magnet and sensors that can pick up how much of the magnetism comes through the body onto the picture.
What is medium energy radiation?
Medium energy radiation is seen by us as light. The different levels that exist in white light can be seen as the colours in a rainbow after the rain. High energy forms of radiation, which can be harmful to our bodies, include UV or ultraviolet light, which can burn our skin. Other types of high energy radiation are X-rays and gamma rays, ...
What language is X-ray?
This fact sheet is available to print in the following languages: English. The word "X-ray" or "scan" will often be used by the doctor while talking about a test or treatment for your child. Many types of diagnostic testing involve the use of radiation in some way.
What is a CT scan?
The x-rays travel in a circle around your body and the x-rays are caught and turned into a picture. CT stands for Computed Tomography , which means the doctor can reconstruct your child’s images into a 3D computerised set of pictures.
How is the strength of an x-ray determined?
The strength of the x-ray, or its penetrating power, is adjusted by the radiographer who is seeing you. This is decided by your child’s body size. The x-rays are aimed at the part of the body the doctor is looking at, and the plate that is behind or below the bed your child is lying on is where the x-rays are caught and turned into a picture.
Why is radiation used in medical imaging?
Since Rontgen’s discovery over 100 years ago, radiation has been used to create visual images of the inside of the body to diagnose medical conditions. Medical professionals use ionizing radiation in specific imaging procedures to help diagnose injuries or illness within the body.
What is the CDC website?
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) webpage on Radiation in Medicine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) webpage on Medical Imaging. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) webpage on Uses of Radiation.
What is the primary goal of medical imaging?
The primary goal of medical imaging is to answer a clinical question or guide an intervention. Some examples of the more common medical imaging procedures that utilize radiation include X-rays, computed tomography (CT or CAT scans), and fluoroscopy.
Who discovered x-rays?
In 1895, German/Dutch physicist Wilhelm Röntgen discovered x-rays. In one of his experiments, he found that x-rays could pass through the body, producing an image of a skeleton on a photographic screen.
What are the risks of radiation?
Radiation Risks and Children 1 [1]#N#Children are considerably more sensitive to radiation, as demonstrated in numerous epidemiological studies of exposed populations. 2 [2]#N#Children have a longer life expectancy than adults, resulting in a longer window of opportunity for radiation damage to be expressed. 3 [3]#N#Children may receive a higher dose of radiation than necessary, if equipment settings and dosages are not adjusted for their smaller body size.
What are the two types of ionizing radiation?
The major types of ionizing radiation emitted during radioactive decay are alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays ( Figures 3 – 4 ). Other types, such as x-rays, can be both naturally occurring, or machine-produced. 7
What material did Roentgen use to illuminate the room?
Although the glass tube he was using was covered in thick black cardboard, and the room was completely dark, Roentgen noticed that a nearby screen, covered in barium platinocyanide (a fluor escent material), became illuminated.
How much radiation is attributed to medical sources?
In countries with a developed clinical sector , up to a further 50% of our radiation exposure can be attributed to medical sources ( Figure 8 ). Most of this comes from the use of standard x-ray and CT scan technology to diagnose injuries and disease. Other procedures such as radiation therapy also use radiation to treat patients. 21
How does radiation affect living things?
Radiation can damage living tissue by changing cellular structure and damaging an organism's DNA. The amount of damage depends on a number of variables, including the type and quantity of radiation absorbed and its energy. 14
What is the radiation spectrum?
Introduction. Radiation is a form of energy which travels from a source as waves or as energized particles. At the lower end of the radiation spectrum we find radio waves and microwaves, which are generally considered harmless ( Figure 1 ).
Why did Roentgen use x-rays?
During the 20 years following Roentgen's discovery, x-rays gained increasing popularity, both as a fairground curiosity and as a powerful diagnostic tool in the medical setting.
Why do people get radiation therapy?
Why it's done. More than half of all people with cancer receive radiation therapy as part of their cancer treatment. Doctors use radiation therapy to treat just about every type of cancer. Radiation therapy is also useful in treating some noncancerous (benign) tumors.
What is the treatment for cancer?
Radiation therapy. External beam radiation uses high-powered beams of energy to kill cancer cells. Beams of radiation are precisely aimed at the cancer using a machine that moves around your body. Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy most often uses X-rays, but ...
What type of radiation is used in X-rays?
The term "radiation therapy" most often refers to external beam radiation therapy. During this type of radiation, the high-energy beams come from a machine outside of your body that aims the beams at a precise point on your body.
What is external beam radiation therapy?
During external beam radiation therapy, you're positioned on a table and a large machine moves around you sending beams of radiation into precise points in your body.
What is the purpose of radiation beams?
The precise dose and focus of radiation beams used in your treatment is carefully planned to maximize the radiation to your cancer cells and minimize the harm to surrounding healthy tissue.
How does radiation damage cells?
Radiation therapy damages cells by destroying the genetic material that controls how cells grow and divide. While both healthy and cancerous cells are damaged by radiation therapy, the goal of radiation therapy is to destroy as few normal, healthy cells as possible.
How long does it take for cancer to respond to radiation?
In some cases, your cancer may respond to treatment right away. In other cases, it may take weeks or months for your cancer to respond.
How much radiation is the average person exposed to in day-to-day life?
This is called background radi ation and it varies across the country.
What can I do if I’m worried about radiation from imaging tests?
If you have concerns about the radiation you may get from a CT scan, PET scan, or any other imaging test that uses radiation, talk to your health care provider. Ask whether the test is needed and if it’s the best one to use in your case. You may also want to know what you and your health care provider can expect to learn from it.
What about radiation from imaging tests and children?
Children are more sensitive to radiation than adults. Because of this, health care providers are careful to reduce radiation exposure to pediatric patients for imaging tests that use radiation. Still, parents can and should ask questions before any imaging tests are done.
How much does the extra radiation increase a person’s cancer risk?
Radiation exposure depends on the type of test done, the area of the body exposed, the person’s body size, age, and gender, and other factors.
How much radiation does the average American get?
The average American is exposed to about 3 mSv ( millisieverts) of radiation from natural sources over the course of a year. (A millisievert is a measure of radiation exposure.) But background radiation exposure varies throughout the United States, and the world. The largest source of background radiation (typically about 2 mSv per year) is radon, ...
What is background radiation?
We are constantly exposed to radiation from a number of sources, including radioactive materials in our environment, radon gas in our homes, and cosmic rays from outer space. This is called background radiation and it varies across the country.
How much radiation is exposed to a chest xray?
For instance: A single chest x-ray exposes the patient to about 0.1 mSv. This is about the same amount of radiation people are exposed to naturally over the course of about 10 days.
What happens during a nuclear medicine imaging procedure?
During a nuclear medicine imaging procedure, doctors give patients radiopharmaceuticals. Depending on the type of medical examination they can be breathed in (inhaled), injected, or swallowed.
What are some common nuclear medicine procedures?
There are several nuclear medicine procedures for diagnosing illnesses and treating diseases.
What is the radioactive material tracer for gallbladder?
Gallbladder problems can be diagnosed using hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scans that contain a radioactive material tracer, usually technetium-99m.
What is the name of the iodide in thyroid ablation?
Thyroid Ablation that uses sodium iodide which contains iodide-131.
What is the purpose of a computer in a radiology lab?
A computer is used to show where the body concentrates the radioactive material. This allows doctors to check if organs are working properly and diagnose diseases.
What is nuclear medicine?
Nuclear medicine procedures are used in diagnosing and treating certain illnesses. These procedures use radioactive materials called radiopharmaceuticals. Examples of diseases treated with nuclear medicine procedures are hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, lymphomas, and bone pain from some types of cancer. The amount of radioactive materials used in ...
What is the radiation that comes from a radiopharmaceutical used for?
The radiation that comes from the radiopharmaceutical is used for treatment or is detected by a camera to take pictures of the corresponding body organ, region or tissue.
How much radiation does a chest CT scan give?
Most of the increased exposure in the United States is due to CT scanning and nuclear imaging, which require larger radiation doses than traditional x-rays. A chest x-ray, for example, delivers 0.1 mSv, while a chest CT delivers 7 mSv (see the table) — 70 times as much.
What is the radiation that is used to detect cancer?
The radiation you get from x-ray, CT, and nuclear imaging is ionizing radiation — high-energy wavelengths or particles that penetrate tissue to reveal the body's internal organs and structures. Ionizing radiation can damage DNA, and although your cells repair most of the damage, they sometimes do the job imperfectly, leaving small areas of "misrepair." The result is DNA mutations that may contribute to cancer years down the road.
Why is X-rays not accurate?
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.
How accurate is X-ray?
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.
Why is CT scan important?
CT scanning and nuclear imaging have revolutionized diagnosis and treatment, almost eliminating the need for once-common exploratory surgeries and many other invasive and potentially risky procedures. The benefits of these tests, when they're appropriate, far outweigh any radiation-associated cancer risks, ...
Where does ionizing radiation come from?
We're exposed to small doses of ionizing radiation from natural sources all the time — in particular, cosmic radiation, mainly from the sun, and radon, a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, water, and building materials.
Can radiation cause cancer?
We've long known that children and teens who receive high doses of radiation to treat lymphoma or other cancers are more likely to develop additional cancers later in life. But we have no clinical trials to guide our thinking about cancer risk from medical radiation in healthy adults. Most of what we know about the risks of ionizing radiation comes from long-term studies of people who survived the 1945 atomic bomb blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These studies show a slightly but significantly increased risk of cancer in those exposed to the blasts, including a group of 25,000 Hiroshima survivors who received less than 50 mSv of radiation — an amount you might get from three or more CT scans. (See "Imaging procedures and their approximate effective radiation doses.")
SecondsCount Guide to Radiation Safety in Medical Testing
Radiation safety in medical testing has been a hot media topic. More imaging tests that use radiation are available than in the past and, though the risks are typically minimal, they bear consideration.
How Do Radiation Doses for Tests Compare?
Radiation occurs naturally all around us. We are constantly exposed to radiation from outer space, from elements in the soil and from other natural and artificial sources. The human body even emits radiation because of the presence of certain forms of potassium and carbon. All of this radiation is referred to as background radiation.
Why Are People Concerned About Radiation Doses?
Ionizing radiation exposure can cause a number of health problems. It can increase a person’s lifetime risk of cancer. Additionally, it can result in tissue damage if one area of the body receives a high dose. A third concern is that radiation exposure can harm a fetus if a pregnant woman is exposed.
What Safety Measures Are in Place to Reduce Radiation Risk?
The safety measures that are in place to reduce your radiation dose during a test vary according to the test. Typically, these safety measures include shielding to limit radiation exposure to the area of the body under study and monitoring of the dose that is being given to be sure it is within acceptable limits.
What medical imaging procedures do not use ionizing radiation?
There are also medical imaging procedures such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or ultrasound that do not use ionizing radiation to diagnose illnesses or injuries.
What is medical imaging?
Medical imaging tests are non-invasive procedures that allow doctors to diagnose diseases and injuries without being intrusive. As in many areas of medicine, there are risks associated with the use of medical imaging which uses ionizing radiation to create images of the body.
What is MRI scan?
MRI scans are often performed along with other medical imaging procedures to provide a more detailed view of the area of the body that is being examined. For more information on MRI, please see FDA’s website on MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) external icon.
What is ultrasound imaging?
Ultrasound imaging uses high-frequency sound waves to see inside the body. There is no ionizing radiation used and in most ultrasound examinations, no contrast is given. Page last reviewed: May 27, 2016. Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What type of radiation is used in medical imaging?
Most people have had one or more medical imaging tests that use ionizing radiation. The type of imaging procedure that your doctor may suggest will depend on your health concern and the part of the body that is being examined.
Why do doctors use imaging?
Doctors often use medical imaging procedures to determine the best treatment options for patients. Imaging procedures are medical tests that allow doctors to see inside the body in order to diagnose, treat, and monitor health conditions. Some of these tests involve exposure to ionizing radiation which can present risks to patients.
What is the image Gently Alliance?
The Image Gently Alliance external icon, part of the Alliance for Radiation in Pediatric Imaging, suggests the following for imaging of children: Use imaging examinations when ...
Overview
Why It's Done
- More than half of all people with cancer receive radiation therapy as part of their cancer treatment. Doctors use radiation therapy to treat just about every type of cancer. Radiation therapy is also useful in treating some noncancerous (benign) tumors.
Risks
- Radiation therapy side effects depend on which part of your body is being exposed to radiation and how much radiation is used. You may experience no side effects, or you may experience several. Most side effects are temporary, can be controlled and generally disappear over time once treatment has ended. Some side effects may develop later. For example, in rare circumsta…
How You Prepare
- Before you undergo external beam radiation therapy, your health care team guides you through a planning process to ensure that radiation reaches the precise spot in your body where it's needed. Planning typically includes: 1. Radiation simulation.During simulation, your radiation therapy team works with you to find a comfortable position for you during treatment. It's imperative that you li…
What You Can Expect
- External beam radiation therapy is usually conducted using a linear accelerator — a machine that directs high-energy beams of radiation into your body. As you lie on a table, the linear accelerator moves around you to deliver radiation from several angles. The linear accelerator can be adjusted for your particular situation so that it delivers the precise dose of radiation your doctor has order…
Results
- If you're receiving radiation to a tumor, your doctor may have you undergo periodic scans after your treatment to see how your cancer has responded to radiation therapy. In some cases, your cancer may respond to treatment right away. In other cases, it may take weeks or months for your cancer to respond. Some people aren't helped by radiation therapy.
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiesof tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.