If you think about it, imagine how many lives could have been saved if medical technologies were invented a little earlier? We are lucky enough to exist during this time when modern medicine and hospitals have a solution to almost every type of illness (except for the new ones, particularly COVID).
The invention of medical advancements and the use of large medical equipment are things that we should really be grateful for. Through this, medical experts are able to see what’s going on inside your body without having the need to open it up. One way to take a closer look at our internals is diagnostic imaging.
Through diagnostic imaging, a physician can know what is inside that may be causing pain or discomfort. It is also used to observe if your body is reacting to certain treatments administered. Despite the recorded benefits of this technology for years, there are still worries that exist today.
In this article, we will share three facts about diagnostic imaging to ease your worries:
Worry #1: Harmful Radiations
X-ray is one of the commonly used diagnostic procedures. It is feared to expose a patient to high levels of radiation that cause further health risks. While this is true during the earlier years of X-ray, the machines used today are more sensitive and only need a very small amount of radiation to capture the internal human body.
Hospitals and diagnostic centers also stopped the use of lead aprons. Lead aprons used to protect the body from radiation during procedures. But studies and observations showed that newer X-rays have a very low radiation level that the use of lead aprons is no longer necessary. It also affected the clarity of the results, which will require the cardiopulmonary doctors to repeat the procedure. This will increase the exposure of the patient to radiation.
Worry #2: Risk for Pregnancy Women
The amount of radiation used in X-rays today does not pose any danger to your unborn child. This was a concern in the past because high levels of radiation may cause miscarriage in a woman in her first two weeks of pregnancy. However, these machines use a lesser level of radiation that would not cause that risk to you and your baby’s health. As such, pregnant women have nothing to fear anymore. But if you still are, you can always consult your family doctor to put your worries at ease.
Worry #3: More Radiation from MRI and CT Scans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI does not use radiation. Instead, powerful magnets are used to get a clear image of soft structures such as muscles, ligaments, brain, and spine.
Computed Tomography or CT uses radiation just like X-ray. However, it requires multiple X-ray scanning to create three-dimensional results. Because of this, CT has more radiation than a typical X-ray procedure, but it should not be a cause of worry.
Conclusion
In every diagnostic imaging center and hospital, doctors always weigh the benefits from the risk of every procedure. On top of that, the doctors will always tell you what’s best for your condition, so you should give them your trust. By considering the truths behind the misconceptions mentioned above, you won’t have to worry anymore about radiology procedures.
Medical professionals are always around to educate us about our misconceptions so that we can just focus on our healing. Leave your worries behind and consult with the board-certified physicians and medical specialists of Garden State Medical Group in Paramus, NJ!