Risks of getting an X-ray

X-ray is the oldest and most effective diagnostic imaging procedures. It uses small amounts of radiation that pass through a particular part of the body to look at it internally in detail. An x-ray can look at abnormalities in the chest and stomach as well as bones. Though it is incredibly effective in diagnosing internal problems, the small doses of radiation do pose risk.It is imperative that you do not exceed an excessive number of x-rays within a short time period. The small doses of radiation obtained by getting an x-ray do not go away immediately. If an x-ray is improperly used, the patient could get burns or cataracts. In severe causes of extreme exposure cancer could be the end result. If your family has a genetic history of cancer or you are a smoker, the risks of getting an x-ray become much higher.The doses are radiation that are given off of the x-ray machine are so small that alone they wouldn’t be harmful. It is extremely unsafe for a fetus in a pregnant woman. Always tell the x-ray technician that you are pregnant prior to getting the procedure done. The small doses of radiation could cause extreme deformities to your unborn child and can even cause miscarriages in extreme cases. They can offer an alternative way to get an effective picture. An MRI may be the right option for a pregnant woman as it does not give off any radiation.If you are receiving an x-ray to determine the placement of a broken bone, you may experience pain and discomfort during the procedure. To get a clear picture of the bone, you may have to adjust that part of your body in uncomfortable positions. You may be able to ask your doctor for pain medication prior to getting an x-ray.For certain x-rays a doctor may inject you with a contrast dye. The quality of the images come out much better with the use of the dye. Unfortunately, the dye could have some unpleasant side effects such as itchiness, nausea, lightheadedness, metallic taste in the mouth, and hives. Typically, you will only experience these symptoms if you are allergic to the contrast dye. You may be able to ask your doctor for a milder dye or if it’s possible to get the x-ray without dye first. In extremely rare cases, the contrast dye could cause serious problems. These could include anaphylactic shock, very low blood pressure and even cardiac arrest.Generally, x-rays are safe but even more so are life-saving. An x-ray machine can detect extreme problems in the heart and lungs that a doctor would normally not see. There are multiple Las Vegas radiology centers. These imaging centers provide x-ray services in addition to MRIs, CT scans, mammograms and even more. For information about services and pricing, contact Steinberg Medical Imaging Las Vegas at 702.732.6000. There are six locations throughout the Las Vegas valley with even more opening soon, so there is sure to be one close to home.