Radiation in Medical Imaging

Radiation is something that we are exposed to on a daily basis; it is in the air we breathe. Radiation is used in hospitals, research labs, and in many medical procedures. It is also commonly used as a treatment for cancer. In some cases it helps and in others it does not. Radiation is used for cancer treatment because it kills cells. The issue is that it is killing healthy cells at the same time it is killing cancerous cells. Even though medical imaging emits radiation, it makes it possible for us to detect injuries and significant diseases. Radiation is measured in a few different ways, and has numerous side effects on our body depending on the dosage. We are exposed to it in the environment unintentionally, and at times in treatment purposely. Additionally, there is current research in effort to reduce the amount of radiation in medical procedures.
We must first understand what radiation is. Radiation is when excess energy is released. This process happens when unstable atoms become stable. This happens to radioactive materials. There are three common types of radiation emissions. They are alpha particles, beta particles, and Gamma rays. Alpha particles can be dangerous if they are inhaled or ingested. They can also enter your body through a cut, but it cannot bypass human skin. Beta particles can be very dangerous to your health if they are ingested, inhaled, or if it enters through a cut. It is important to know that it can at times enter through your skin, unlike alpha particles. In most cases, it is best to have a thicker layer covering your skin so that you’re positive it does not go through your skin. The most severe type of radiation emission is through Gamma rays. Like the other two, it can cause severe damage if it i...

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...reduce radiation exposure to their patients. The first thing is that they will only schedule an imaging exam if completely necessary. Second, they are focusing on dose optimization. Third, they are reducing their patient’s dosage to as low as possible (Shrestha).
Radiation is all around us and exposure to it is inevitable. Some of the exposure, such as in the environment, is unintentional. We are also purposely exposed to it in medical imaging. As stated above, there are many positive and negative sides to radiation. Medical imaging has grown tremendously over the years and allows us to detect injuries, and diseases. The negative side to radiation, is all of the dangerous health effects that can harm our body. There is a lot of research that scientists are working on to reduce the amount of radiation that our bodies are exposed to when undergoing medical imaging.