• Is it safe for children to have X-rays?

My child has had a persistent cough for 2 weeks now. My doctor is recommending X-rays of his lungs. Is it safe for children to have X-rays?

2 Answers

  • Pediatrician
  • Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Yes they are using a very small amount of radiation for chest X-rays. But CT scans, especially of the brain and abdomen, have a much larger amount of radiation, and repeated tests are not recommended unless absolutely necessary.

  • Interventional Radiologist
  • Riverside, CT

The risk of an X-ray is the radiation exposure. People are exposed to radiation from different sources all of the time. It is known that at a certain level of exposure, bad things can happen. What is not known is the potential random effects of radiation, even at low levels. In theory the risk increases with a younger aged individual.
Modern X-ray equipment is designed to minimize radiation exposure, but radiation cannot be completely eliminated. The increased radiation from a single X-ray is negligible. However, any radiological study should be taken into consideration with the risk of not doing the study.

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