“How much radiation is in a CT scan?”
I am a 34 year old male. I want to know how much radiation is in a CT scan?
3 Answers
About the same amount you receive flying from Chicago to Denver.
This is a common concern among the general populace. However, the radiation dose exposure from a CT scan is quite minimal.The CT dose is usually reported in units of mSv or rads, and typically ranges from 1-10 mSV, which is equivalent to 0.1-1 rad. These doses are minimal and thus unlikely to induce cancer. The actual dose exposure within the referenced range, is dependent on the site of the body of interest/investigation eg. chest, abdomen or pelvis etc. If your doctor recommends a CT scan, it is usually warranted, to elucidate suspicious findings detected on a less sensitive scan such as an X-ray. A CT scan is also recommended at specific intervals after cancer treatment, in order to monitor treatment response, to query or correlate new symptoms, and/or for early detection of possible cancer recurrence. Thus, the benefits of the CT scan in the scenarios presented, far outweigh any risk of radiation exposure.I hope that this explanation is clear and allays your concerns. Sincerely,Dr.EB
The same as you get from flying from Chicago to Denver.
