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19 July 2008

Answer to Question #899 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Pregnancy and Radiation — Exposures not directly to embryo/fetus

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

I am about five weeks pregnant and had a CT scan of my cervical spine around the third week of my pregnancy. I was unaware at the time of the scan. Would my baby have been exposed to a lot of radiation?

Your baby may have been exposed to some radiation but it would have been a very small amount if any. I looked for dose information in two places and found some that is useful. One table that references the Food and Drug Administration shows that there is no measurable dose to a baby for x rays around the head area. Another reference (Wagner, et al.) shows that a baby could receive a 50 mrem maximum dose from cervical spine x rays. Even considering the maximum of 50 mrem, the dose is small and is unlikely to cause any harm. The lowest dose to an unborn child documented as causing biological effects is approximately 6,000 mrad.

Kelly Classic
Certified Medical Health Physicist

Reference:
Wagner LK, Lester RG, Saldana LR. Exposure of the pregnant patient to diagnostic radiation. Madison, Wisconsin: Medical Physics Publishing; 1997.

Answer posted on 14 May 2001. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of 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 specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.