By now, most people are aware that exposure to medical radiation may carry a small risk of the development of cancer later in life. 'Medical radiation' includes examinations such as plain x-rays, mammograms, cardiac catherization, CT scans and nuclear cardiac stress tests. None of these tests have been directly related to the development of cancer. However, information gathered from people who were exposed to very large amounts of radiation leads us to assume that there might be some small risk from medical x-rays.

No discussion of risk is complete without a discussion of benefit. Medical radiation procedures are intended to detect or treat life-threatening conditions. More often than not, the benefits of the procedure far outweigh the small, and to some extent hypothetical, risks.

Researchers at DRDL are working to characterize the radiation exposure due to many medical radiation procedures in adults and children, including cardiac catherization and the latest-generation CT scanners. The information obtained by DRDL can assist radiologists and referring physicians in making informed decisions regarding the risks and benefits of medical radiation exposure.

If you have questions about radiation exposure from a specific procedure, try the 'Ask the Experts' site maintained by the Health Physics Society. Chances are, someone else has already asked the question and you can find an answer at this site.