Answer to Question #10964 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Medical and Dental Patient Issues — Therapy - Radiation Oncology

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Q

I will be having radiation treatment for breast cancer and am concerned about my hearing aids. Will the radiation hurt them and should I remove them?

A

Phonak Dalia’s User Guide for Behind-the-Ear hearing aids suggests removing the hearing aids before undergoing x-ray procedures:

“X-ray radiation (e.g., CT scans, MRI scans) may adversely affect the correct functioning of your hearing aids. We recommend that you remove them before undergoing X-ray procedures and keep them outside the room.”

I found similar warnings in other hearing aid user manuals as well. (Note: contrary to the above quotation, MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] scans do not produce x-ray radiation.)

Kent Lambert, CHP

Answer posted on 18 June 2014. The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.