Medical and Dental Patient Issues

The following FAQs have been developed by our topic editors for this category:

			Dental Patient Issues
			Medical CT
			Reference Books and Articles on Diagnostic X Ray and CT
			Therapy—Radiation Oncology

The following HPS Web pages also address this category:

			ATE SI Conversion Chart
			Benefits of Medical Radiation Exposures
			CT Imaging Information Sheet
			Dental Patient Doses Information
			Doses from Medical Radiation Sources
			Radiation Doses in Perspective
			Radiation Exposure from Medical Exams and Procedures
			Risk/Benefit of Medical Radiation Exposures

The following health physics questions have been answered by an expert and approved by our editors for inclusion in our "Ask the Experts" feature. Click on the question to see the answer.

Questions in this Category Are in the Following Subcategories:
•  Diagnostic X Ray and CT
•  Dental
•  MRI
•  Therapy - Radiation Oncology
•  Miscellaneous
Diagnostic X Ray and CT
Q115	–	How much exposure do a chest and an abdominal x ray deliver to an 18-month old?
Q202	–	What is the risk from various x-ray procedures?
Q341	–	ESE (entrance skin exposure)
Q354	–	Information about radiation exposure during x-ray exams
Q636	–	Dose from CT head scans
Q708	–	Effective (whole body) doses for common nuclear medicine, radiography and CT exams
Q718	–	Abdominal x rays to infant
Q733	–	Can radiation penetrate a fiberglass cast?
Q825	–	Doses during cardiac catheterization
Q865	–	Child with chest and leg x rays
Q1022	–	Dose from x rays to a 15-year-old
Q1084	–	Over the limit in x rays?
Q1214	–	Lumbar spine doses
Q1253	–	CT doses
Q1443	–	Artifact on an x ray
Q1448	–	Numerous x-ray exposures
Q1520	–	X rays for eye imaging
Q1681	–	Intravenous pyelograms
Q1700	–	Licenses in radiology
Q1724	–	Bone mineral density test
Q1836	–	X rays of finger
Q1977	–	Upper GI exam
Q1990	–	Doses to organs in area of hip
Q2008	–	Rules for technicians
Q2080	–	Heart scanning
Q2101	–	CT Angiography Doses
Q2174	–	High-exposure fluoroscopy procedure
Q2353	–	Doses from CT procedures
Q2372	–	Chest x ray vs. helical-CT chest screening
Q2387	–	Head x rays
Q2424	–	CT doses
Q2432	–	Bone Density Scan
Q2745	–	Estimate fetal dose in abdominal x ray
Q2748	–	Paranasal sinuses
Q2766	–	Brenner study on pediatric CT
Q2800	–	Factors affecting dose from CT scans
Q2846	–	Barium enema
Q2847	–	Contrast agent
Q2866	–	Risk from CT scan
Q2874	–	Risk of many tests
Q2971	–	Doses
Q3009	–	PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central venous Catheter)
Q3034	–	Dose from knee CT
Q3132	–	Calculating dose
Q3372	–	Barium enema procedure
Q3390	–	Pacemaker implantation
Q3575	–	Bucky device
Q3608	–	Upper GI versus barium swallow test
Q3679	–	CT scans to assess body composition
Q3903	–	Doses and risk to child
Q4043	–	What does 5,025 mR mean?
Q4058	–	Effects of many exams
Q4173	–	Head CT of eight-month-old child
Q4177	–	Metal clips in CT scan
Q4181	–	Can radiation make cancer appear sooner?
Q4262	–	Barium swallow doses
Q4327	–	Risk of x rays
Q4468	–	Risk comparisons
Q4518	–	Radiation poisoning from CT exams
Q4568	–	Spacing of x rays to avoid overexposure
Q4671	–	Scatter radiation from patients
Q4703	–	Risk of numerous procedures
Q4712	–	CT dose from low-dose procedures
Q4720	–	Comparison of mammogram to background radiation
Q4730	–	Thyroid
Q4743	–	Dose from brain CT
Q4756	–	Doses and risks of GI procedures
Q4762	–	Cancer risk due to CT scan
Q4789	–	Safety limits for exposure
Q4805	–	Radiation dose from x-ray machine in Korea
Q5067	–	Risk of CT in children
Q5113	–	Use of x rays for mammography
Q5128	–	Pelvic/abdomen CT
Q5351	–	Brenner Radiology Article on CT risks
Q5425	–	Effect of a 6-rad dose
Q5616	–	Doses from pelvic and abdominal CTs
Q5683	–	Barium enema dose
Q5952	–	Dose from medical x rays over time
Q6057	–	Concern about cumulative effect of CT exams
Q6162	–	Pregnant and exposed to CT
Q6256	–	Cause of prostate cancer?
Q6846	–	Greater risk from secondary (scatter) radiation during CT scan when shielding is used.
Q7263	–	Risk to my infant who had multiple chest x rays
Q7406	–	Risk from chest-abdomen CT
Q7532	–	Concern abut CT heart scans
Q7597	–	Have I had too much radiation from medical scans?
Q7748	–	Worried about head CT on daughter
Q9761	–	Nurses performing fluoroscopy
Q10494	–	Compare effective doses from medical procedures to natural background
Q10525	–	Occupational exposure due from C-Arm
Q10527	–	Doses from a six-view cervical spine series and a right rib series
Q10528	–	Is a CT scan more dangerous than a bone scan?
Q10540	–	How does CT scan dose in mGy relate to dose in mSv?
Q10543	–	Many x rays
Q10549	–	Radiation exposure while waiting for procedure
Q10552	–	Radiation exposure to infant from barium swallow study
Q10574	–	Risk from CT scan and x rays of lower back (lumbar section) and abdomen
Q10576	–	Dose from lumbar spine series
Q10577	–	Film speed vs. radiation dose to patient
Q10578	–	Radiation dose from HSG tests
Q10592	–	Doses from a barium swallow study
Q10599	–	DLP CT conversion factor
Q10610	–	Radiation exposure from multiple procedures including MRI, CT, and ultrasound
Q10613	–	Effects from many CT scans and alternatives
Dental
Q418	–	Oralix 50 dental x-ray machine
Q677	–	Dental operatory cabinets
Q1193	–	Dental panorama x-ray dose
Q1369	–	Annual dental x rays for children
Q1551	–	Lead aprons
Q1713	–	Dental doses
Q4168	–	Risk of CT scan and immune system
Q4189	–	Effects on genital organs
Q4277	–	Child in room during x rays
Q4322	–	Dental x ray concerns
Q4411	–	Dental x rays and sore throat
Q4483	–	CBCT vs CT scans
Q4566	–	Dental x rays and brain cancers
Q4807	–	Tingling sensation
Q4940	–	Dose from dental x rays
Q5480	–	Radiation dose from long digital dental x ray
Q5678	–	Technical difficulties with dental machine
Q5713	–	Use of thyroid collars
Q5768	–	Uranium in dental porcelain
Q6120	–	Dental Cone Beams
Q8152	–	Uranium in glaze on porcelain denture teeth
Q8568	–	Radioactivity in porcelain dentures and crowns
Q10565	–	Safe time between repeat x-ray procedures
MRI
Q64	–	What research has been done on health effects of EMF on MRI patients?
Q1933	–	Radioactivity in rare earth compounds
Q2973	–	Bullets in body
Q9517	–	Dosimetry for ultrasound and MRI technologists
Therapy - Radiation Oncology
Q75	–	How can one equate 7,400 rads of radiation therapy to rem?
Q421	–	Brachytherapy nursing staff information
Q635	–	Radiation therapy
Q792	–	Protection techniques in nuclear medicine and radiation therapy
Q1065	–	Side effects of radiation therapy
Q1162	–	X-ray and nuclear radiation for cancer treatment
Q1237	–	How to handle tissue with iodine-125 seeds
Q2014	–	Two-edged sword
Q2886	–	Radiation treatment
Q3418	–	Dose calculation for cobalt-60 machine
Q3585	–	Use of cobalt-60 for teletherapy
Q3641	–	Family of iridium-192 patient
Q4162	–	Baby in same house with patient
Q4287	–	Sitting on lap of treated person
Q4293	–	Radium treatment of birthmark
Q4514	–	Risks to patient's family and staff
Q6157	–	Brachytherapy patient near children
Q8592	–	Probability of secondary cancer after radiation therapy
Miscellaneous
Q10518	–	Time, distance, and shielding precautions after iodine-125 seed permanent implant

The following websites may also be useful:

			CT Scanning Background and Patient Information (Food and Drug Administration, FDA)
			Dental X-Ray Questions for Parents and Patients (Food and Drug Administration, FDA)
			Dose and Risk Calculator for Standard Medical Radiation Procedures (American Society of Radiological Technologists, ASRT)
			For Children: Image Gently (Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging)
			Information about Radiation Oncology (American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, ASTRO)
			Medical Uses of Radiation (HPS Radiation Answers)
			Patient Information on Radiation-Emitting Products (Food and Drug Administration, FDA)
			Radiology Information for Patients (Radiological Society of North America, RSNA, and American College of Radiology, ACR)