#Double exposure x ray series

Some scientists expect this level to rise in parallel with the increased use of CT scans in medical procedures. It is estimated that 0.4 percent of cancers in the U.S. However, the benefits of X-ray technology far outweigh the potential negative consequences of using them.

For this reason, X-rays are classified as a carcinogen by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States government. X-rays can cause mutations in our DNA and, therefore, might lead to cancer later in life. This procedure uses the highest dose of X-rays because a large number of images are taken in one sitting.

#Double exposure x ray series

The patient moves slowly into the machine so that a series of “slices” can be taken to build up a 3D image. A fan-shaped beam of X-rays passes through the patient onto a number of detectors. Fluoroscopy uses more X-ray radiation than a standard X-ray, but the amounts are still extremely small.Ĭomputed tomography (CT): The patient lies on a table and enters a ring-shaped scanner. This type of X-ray might be used to watch the activity of the gut after a barium meal. Radiography also uses the smallest amounts of radiation.įluoroscopy: The radiologist, or radiographer, can watch the X-ray of the patient moving in real-time and take snapshots. It is used to image broken bones, teeth, and the chest. Radiography: This is the most familiar type of X-ray imaging. Because bones are rich in calcium, which has a high atomic number, the X-rays are absorbed and appear white on the resulting image.Īny trapped gases, for instance, in the lungs, show up as dark patches because of their particularly low absorption rates. To produce a standard X-ray image, the patient or part of their body is placed in front of an X-ray detector and illuminated by short X-ray pulses. There have, however, been few studies linking an airborne occupation to increased incidence of cancer. Pilots, cabin crew, and astronauts are at more risk of higher doses because of the increased exposure to cosmic rays at altitude. These rays are not harmless but they are unavoidable, and the radiation is at such low levels that its effects are virtually unnoticed. The greatest source of natural radiation for most people is radon.Īdditionally, the Earth is constantly bombarded by cosmic radiation, which includes X-rays. Radioactive material is found naturally in the air, soil, water, rocks, and vegetation. The first person to receive an X-ray for medical purposes was young Eddie McCarthy of Hanover, who fell while skating on the Connecticut River in 1896 and fractured his left wrist.Įveryone on the planet is exposed to a certain amount of radiation as they go about their daily lives. Just weeks after he discovered that they could help visualize bones, X-rays were being used in a medical setting. Wilhelm Röntgen is credited with first describing X-rays. Share on Pinterest The first X-ray was carried out over 100 years ago.