Are X-Rays Safe?

Every day of our lives, we're exposed to ionizing radiation in our environment. The problem is, additional exposure, from things like medical imaging (of which X-rays are one type), can increase our risk for cancer or other diseases later in our lives. So, how safe are X-rays?

The providers at Rapid Response Urgent Care in Granada Hills, California, routinely use X-rays from our on-site lab to help diagnose sprains, strains, and bone fractures, among other things. While there’s some risk using these tests, we take all necessary precautions to ensure you’re as safe as possible, now and in the future.

What are X-rays?

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, produced when charged particles with a specific amount of energy hit another material. Wilhelm Röntgen is credited with first describing X-rays in the late 1800s, and mere weeks after discovering they could help visualize bones, they were being used in a medical setting.

Everyone on Earth is exposed to some amount of radiation in their daily lives, because radioactive material is found naturally in the air, soil, water, rocks, and plants, most notably from the element radon.

In addition, the Earth is constantly bombarded by cosmic rays, part of which are X-rays. They’re not harmless, but they’re unavoidable, and the level of radiation is so low, its effects are barely noticeable.

Are medical X-rays safe?

The problem is, high-energy X-rays can cause mutations in our genetic material, and might, therefore, lead to cancer later in life. Because of this, X-rays are classified as a carcinogen by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States government.

However, it’s estimated that only 0.4% of cancers in the US are caused by computed tomography (CT) scans, a type of X-ray technology that uses much more radiation than a traditional X-ray. And, according to one study, by the age of 75, X-rays will increase the risk of cancer by only 0.6-1.8%. In other words, the benefits of medical imaging far outweigh any risks from a low-dose X-ray.

The fact that X-rays have been used in medicine for well over 100 years demonstrates how beneficial they’re considered to be. Although an X-ray by itself can’t always diagnose a disease or condition, they’re nevertheless an important part of the diagnostic process.

Benefits of X-rays

Here are some of the primary benefits of using X-rays for medical imaging:

Noninvasive

An X-ray can diagnose an injury or other medical issue or monitor treatment progression without breaking the skin.

Guiding

X-rays can help guide providers as they insert catheters, stents, or other medical devices inside a patient. They can also help in the removal of blood clots, tumors, or other similar blockages.

Unexpected finds

An X-ray can sometimes highlight a feature different from the initial reason for performing the imaging. For instance, they can show infections in the bone, gas, or fluid in parts of the body where there should be none, or some types of tumor.

So, are X-rays safe? When used appropriately for diagnostic imaging, their benefits far outweigh their risks, and Rapid Response Urgent Care is proud to have a facility on-site for your convenience. Walk in, call us at 818-923-5216, or book an appointment online today.