Radiation Safety
| Radiation Safety Measures We have procedures in place to ensure that each exam is appropriate by following the American College of Radiology's Appropriateness Criteria®. To ensure we use the lowest radiation dose necessary to obtain good quality images, we continually evaluate our processes and exam protocols.  Following Strict Guidelines
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Radiation Exposure
We are exposed to small amounts of radiation every day from natural sources, including soil, rocks, air, water and the atmosphere. The is called background radiation.
Other common sources of radiation exposure include cross-country airplane flights, radon gas found in homes and medical imaging exams that use x-rays, including:
- CT (computed tomography)
- PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography)
- Mammography
- Nuclear medicine exams
- Bone density (DEXA)
- Fluoroscopy (injections)
- Radiography (x-ray exams)
Radiation in Medical Imaging
The use of medical imaging has revolutionized the field of medicine and has significantly advanced the diagnosis, treatment and followup care people receive, improving health outcomes.
Imaging equipment has become more widely available and the number of imaging exams performed each year has also increased. Attention to radiation exposure from medical imaging exams has also grown.
There is some concern that radiation from medical x-rays could minimally increase your risk of developing cancer later in life. This potential risk decreases with age, so attention to radiation exposure is most important for children and young adults.
However, there is no definitive scientific evidence that radiation from medical imaging exams causes cancer. To be safe, the medical community advocates taking reasonable precautions to limit the radiation exposure from medical imaging, including:
- Image only when there is a clear reason
- Use the least amount of radiation needed for a quality diagnostic exam
- Image only the indicated area
- Limit multiple scans
- Suggest alternative imaging exams that do not use radiation, such as MRI or ultrasound, when appropriate
Radiation Comparison
Radiation levels are commonly measured in millisieverts (mSv). The average person in the United States receives 3 mSv per year from background radiation.
Radiation used in medical imaging exams can be compared to background radiation and other sources of radiation. However, the radiation doses listed for imaging exams are average doses – they may vary depending on each individual patient.
| Exam/Procedure | Radiation dose | Compared to dose background radiation |
| Bone Density (DEXA) | 0.001 mSv | Less than 1 day |
| X-ray Extremity | 0.001 mSv | Less than 1 day |
| Cross-country airplane flight | 0.05 mSv | 6 days |
| X-ray Chest (2 views) | 0.1 mSv | 12 days |
| CT Sinuses | 0.6 mSv | 2 months |
| Mammography | 0.7 mSv | 3 months |
| CT Head | 2 mSv | 8 months |
| Radon gas from home | 2 mSv | 8 months |
| Background radiation | 3 mSv | 1 year |
| CT Virtual Colonoscopy | 2-5 mSv | 8 months-2 years |
| CT Chest/Abdomen/Pelvis | 5-10 mSv | 2-3 years |
Radiation Safety Program
We maintain a radiation safety program to ensure compliance with federal and state radiation safety standards. The program monitors imaging departments that:
- Use radiation to obtain images (CT, PET/CT, x-ray, fluoroscopy, mammography)
- Use radioactive materials for medical purposes (nuclear medicine, PET/CT)
Our program is directed by one of our radiologists and a radiation physicist. Each is specially trained to understand the process, effects and medical use of radiation on the human body.
State-of-the-Art Equipment
Our advanced CT scanners adjust to the amount of radiation needed to obtain quality images based on the patient's body mass. For example, a 5'1" tall, 125 pound female patient would receive less radiation than a 6'2" tall, 360 pound male patient.
Image Gently
In conjunction with our radiology services provider we follow the Image Gently campaign. An initiative of the Alliance of Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, Image Gently educates medical professionals and parents about steps to lower the radiation dose in the imaging of children. As part of this campaign, the physicist with whom we work has reviewed our CT protocols and determined that they fall well within the recommendedImage Gently guidelines.
What You Should Know
If you have questions about your imaging exam, ask one of our technologists. Important questions to ask your imaging facility include:
- Is the facility accredited by the American College of Radiology, Joint Commission, or Intersocietal Accreditation Commission?
- Are the technologists credentialed?
- Does a board-certified radiologist interpret the study?
- Are the machines/scanners checked annually or more frequently by a medical physicist?
- Is there a quality assurance program for diagnostic imaging?