Radiation risks and benefits and further information

The exposure to ionising radiation from medical imaging can be a worrying concern for some people. Most scans involve common x-ray examinations – such as those of the arms, legs, chest or teeth – where the radiation doses are very low. The risk of radiation in such scans is negligible.

Higher dose examinations are usually associated with more serious conditions. Even for those complex radiographic procedures, the risk is low. This relates to many images, fluoroscopy, computed tomography scans (CT or CAT scans) or hybrid imaging, for example positron emission tomography (PET CT) and CT scans of a substantial part of the body.

If you have any concerns please speak with your doctor or radiographer about the potential risk beforehand.

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