[Guest]

This past year I have had 2 CT scans with contrast, ultrasound, 2 barium enemas, barium swallow, about 12 flat plate xrays to see if the small bowel had started to function. I was in the hospital 23 days and now I am concerned about all the xray exposure. Course I had no choice, do or die.char

 

[eric]

Char, all I know is I have had way more exposure then that and seem to be fine. And the no choice thing is pretty accurate.

 

[eric]

Just fyi"Risks Return to top During a single radiograph, a small fraction of the X-rays pass right through the body. The remaining photonsare absorbed by tissues in the body. The energy of the absorbed photons can break apart, or ionize,compounds which may cause cell damage. Most cell damage is soon repaired, however, some is permanent.For the exposures encountered in conventional radiography, the risk of cancer or heritable defects (viadamaged ovarian cells or sperm cells) is very low. Most experts feel that this low risk is largely outweighed bythe benefits of information gained from appropriate imaging. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide theminimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. " http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003337.htm One more http://www.ccfa.org/medcentral/library/tests/xrays.htm

 

[iainshaw]

During my time in research I have worked with X-rays, and radioactive isotypes of Chromium, Hydrogen, Cobalt, Iodine, Sulphur and Phosphorus and have only once registered a blip on my detector badge, which was something like a 1/1000 of my allowable yearly dose. The X-rays you received are nowhere near the permitted yearly exposure, and as eric said, the chance of cancer or defects is extremely low.The maximal permissable dose of radiation for a hospital X-ray technician is 5000-7500 millirems per year (based on old units), your standard X-ray will give you approximately 20-100 millirems. You will get approximately 360 millirem per year just from walking around from natural radiation. For exposure to properly prescribed diagnostic and therapeutic sources, there is NO LIMIT of exposure. (Source: Washington State Department of Health X-Ray Control Section)Iain

 

[Guest]

Hey EricThanks for those websites, now I know more.char