Radiation

The Common Vein

Copyright 2009

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Tthe average radiation dose of a CT scan to the lungs is 16 mGy, 14 mGy to the abdomen and 10 mGy to the bone barrow (Brenner). The average dose is about 12 mSv (13). The annual natural background radiation dose is 3 mSv. Therefore the radiation dose received from a CT scan is much higher than the annual background radiation dose. Brenner et al. compare these values with the data obtained from study groups of atomic bomb survivors, which showed a statistical increase in cancer risks after radiation exposure. The atomic bomb individuals were exposed to a dosage amount between 5 and 100 mSv (13). Based on this data and the known radiation dose from CT scans, they conclude that there are valid cancer risks associated with CT scan radiation.

 

Effective Radiation Dosage, Measured in MilliSieverts (mSv)

Average Background Dose ? U.S

3.6 mSv/year

Three-Hour Commercial Airline Flight

0.015 mSv

Pa & Lateral Chest X-Ray

0.05 mSv

Head CT Examination

1-2 mSv

Chest CT

5-7 mSv

Abdomen & Pelvis CT

6-8 mSv

Selective Diagnostic Coronary Angiography

3-6 mSv

Diagnostic Coronary Angiography with Intervention

6-30 mSv

Nuclear Medicine Stress Test

 

SPECT Thallium

25.3 mSv

SPECT Sestamibi

12.2 mSv

Coronary CT Angiography

 

Retrospective CCTA

13 mSv

Retrospective EKG-Modulated CCTA

8-9 mSv

Prospective ?Step-and-Shoot? CCTA

2-3 mSv

 

For this procedure:
Your effective radiation dose is: Comparable to natural background radiation for:
Abdominal region:
Computed Tomography (CT)-Abdomen and Pelvis
10 mSv
3 years
Computed Tomography (CT)-Body
10 mSv
3 years
Computed Tomography (CT)-Colonography
10 mSv
3 years
Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)
3 mSv
1 year
Radiography-Lower GI Tract
8 mSv
3 years
Radiography-Upper GI Tract
6 mSv
2 years
Bone:
Radiography-Spine
1.5 mSv
6 months
Radiography-Extremity
0.001 mSv
Less than 1 day
Central Nervous system:
Computed Tomography (CT)-Head
2 mSv
8 months
Computed Tomography (CT)-Spine
6 mSv
2 years
Myelography
4 mSv
16 months
Chest:
Computed Tomography (CT)-Chest
7 mSv
2 years
Radiography-Chest
0.1 mSv
10 days
Children’s imaging:
Voiding Cystourethrogram
5-10 yr. old: 1.6 mSv
6 months
Infant: 0.8 mSv
3 months
Face and neck:
Computed Tomography (CT)-Sinuses
0.6 mSv
2 months
Heart:
Cardiac CT for Calcium Scoring
3 mSv
1 year
Men’s Imaging:
Bone Densitometry (DEXA)
0.001 mSv
Less than 1 day
Women’s Imaging:
Bone Densitometry (DEXA)
0.001 mSv
Less than 1 day
Galactography
0.7 mSv
3 months
Hysterosalpingography
1 mSv
4 months
Mammography
0.7 mSv
3 months

Reference Safety in Medical Imaging from American College of Radiology

 RSNA Radiation Course

Boone JM. Multidetector CT: Opportunities, challenges, and concerns associated with scanners with 64 or more detector rows. Radiology 2006;241:334-337.

Brenner D and Elliston C. Estimated Radiation Risks Potentially Associated with  Full-Body CT Screening. Radiology 2004; 232:735-738

Herzog, B , Wyss, C A, Husmann, L, Gaemperli, O, Valenta, I, Treyer, C  Landmesser, U, and Kaufmann P A  First head-to-head comparison of effective radiation dose from low-dose 64-slice CT with prospective ECG-triggering versus invasive coronary angiography Heart October 15, 2009 95:1656-1661

Perisinakis K, Theocharopoulos N, Karkavitsas N, Damilakis J. Patient effective radiation dose and associated risk from transmission scans using 153Gd line sources in cardiac SPECT studies. Health Phys 2002; 83:66-74.