Extremity X-ray: Risks
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Risks
There is always a slight risk of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any radiation, including the low levels of radiation used in this test. But the risk of damage from the X-rays is usually very low compared with the potential benefits of the test.
For example, the radiation exposure from a chest X-ray is about equal to the natural radiation exposure received during a round-trip airline flight from Boston to Los Angeles (Montreal to Vancouver) or ten days in the Rocky Mountains (Denver, Colorado).
| Last updated: | April 24, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Reviewed By: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine, Paul D. Traughber, MD - Radiology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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