Answer to Question #6452 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Q

I used to work in a mail room at Heathrow Airport in London. We had an x-ray machine to screen packages. One of my colleagues thought it would be amusing to scan ourselves through the machine and we did so about twice each. I had no idea about the dangers of x rays and am totally shocked at what I have since read about them. I cannot believe I have gone through my 23 years with no knowledge of the dangers involved with x rays. Please don't think of me as a stupid immature person who is wasting your time as I'm actually quite well educated (obviously not enough) and that is why I am so distraught at my findings. I would be ever so grateful if you could give me a little guidance as to what damage I've most likely done and if there is any way to be sure by testing. This is constantly playing on my mind and I am worried sick. I would be so grateful for any help as I cannot find any other situation where this has happened and therefore have nowhere to look for guidance. I would never have been so stupid if I had the slightest idea it was so serious.

A

Thank you for your question. I have to admit that I had to chuckle at what you did, but I can do that only because I know you will not end up with any harmful effects from it. It is unlawful to do something like this in some countries, not because it is unsafe, but because we want to minimize exposure to anything believed to be hazardous, and radiation exposure of the human body should occur only with a doctor's prescription.

The amount of radiation exposure you might have received would be on the order of a few days' worth of background radiation or about the same (actually a bit less) than one chest x ray. There are no harmful effects and there are no tests that would even be able to tell that you had been exposed to radiation because it's such a low level.

You will be okay. Think of it as a lesson well learned with no harmful effect!

Kelly Classic
Certified Medical Health Physicist