Radiation Paper.docx - YOURE GLOWING Nuclear Medicine...

“YOU’RE GLOWING! Nuclear Medicine Application”
At some point in our lives a doctor will decide they need a better idea of what
is going on inside your body. They will send you to the medical imaging department
for an x-ray, CAT (Computerized Axial Tomography) scan or an MRI (Magnetic
Resonance Imaging) scan. Those big words might be scary but thanks to medical
radiation, we can have a better diagnosis.
X-rays create a grayscale image of whatever they pass through. Denser tissue
creates a whiter image on the x-ray. (Pettigrew) Whatever part needs to be examined
will be positioned over film or detector linked to a computer. (McCarthy) X-rays can
be used as radiography, mammography, CT (computed tomography), fluoroscopy and
lastly, radiation therapy in cancer treatment. (Pettigrew) In some cases a contrast
agent may be used to provide clearer images of organs or tissue. X-rays provide a
noninvasive painless procedure to aid a doctor's diagnosis. (Division of Human
Resources Management) They can provide an update on therapy, support medical and
surgical treatment and guide medical staff as they insert catheters, stents, or other
devices in the body, also treat tumors, remove blood clots or blockages (Division of
Human Resources Management)
Since x-rays use ionizing radiation to generate images of the body there is some
risk involved with their use. “Ionizing radiation is a form of radiation that has enough
energy to potentially cause damage to DNA.” (Pettigrew) Risks from exposure to
ionizing radiation includes a small increase of possibility that the person will develop
cancer later in life or tissue effects such as cataracts, skin reddening and hair loss,
which occurs at a high level of radiation exposure and in this case, it’s rare.