X-ray radiation: effects on humans, benefits and harms, application

In hospitals and clinics there is always an X-ray machine, with which you can study all human organs, learn about his osteo-articular system, etc. Most often, X-rays are used in traumatology and dentistry. What is an x-ray?

Most often, x-rays are used in traumatology and dentistry.

Briefly about radiography

Radiography is an effective technique for diagnosing pathologies in the body. The study was first done in 1895, when V.K. X-ray discovered the properties of rays, later called X-rays.

Using this study, the body is scanned with X-rays and an image is obtained on a light-sensitive film (more harmful) or a computer monitor. Diagnostics is carried out using both stationary and mobile, as well as portable devices. This makes it possible to take a picture even in the operating room, if necessary.

Today, the technique has undergone a number of positive changes, which has made it possible to reduce the dose of exposure that the patient receives by a hundred times. This was made possible thanks to the use of semiconductor linear detectors that convert the energy of the rays into light.

X-ray examination receives a full-format image and a reduced one. A striking example of a small format image is fluorography.

Radiography also takes overview and targeted images. By adjusting the device in the optimal projection, it is possible to identify disorders that are difficult to visualize, for example, pathologies of bone tissue.

Radiography became the first non-invasive diagnostic method, which later gave birth to modern research methods, for example, computed tomography.

What is X-ray

X-rays are an invisible electromagnetic field that can pass into all human tissues and organs. The length of each wave is from 8 to 10 cm. It affects the photographic film, causing it to darken.

The structure of the internal organs is displayed on film after the rays hit the person. Thanks to this feature, radiography has become widespread in medicine. Electromagnetic radiation is used:

1. In traumatology. The bones of the skeleton are clearly reflected on the film. An x-ray can reveal any fracture or crack.
2. In dentistry. Used to examine teeth and oral cavity. It is necessary to detect violations of the root structure.
3. For lung research purposes. X-rays make it possible to identify many serious diseases and establish various changes in the tissues of the organ.
4. For industrial purposes. People use it to detect cracks in castings, rubber or plastic.

Chemistry and physics also use X-rays to analyze compounds. In addition, it is used to study crystals.

When is it necessary to take an x-ray, and to whom is it contraindicated?

Radiography is used in various fields of medical knowledge - in orthopedics, traumatology, pulmonology, gastroenterology and others. For each area, X-ray solves specific problems. Indications for radiographic examination:

• if necessary, assess the condition of internal organs,
• for the purpose of diagnosing injuries and damages,
• to locate foreign bodies (for example, swallowed small objects),
• to detect tumors,
• if necessary, identify specific changes in bone tissue and articular joints,
• to identify congenital developmental anomalies,
• when assessing the treatment provided,
• to determine degenerative-dystrophic processes in tissues,
• to assess the correctness of installed structures (for example, during dental implantation),
• in preparation for surgery.

When performing x-rays, there are both indications and contraindications. There are much fewer of them, but they make it difficult to diagnose some diseases. The influence of x-rays is contraindicated in the following cases:

• patient sensitivity to components containing iodine,
• open injuries,
• diabetes mellitus with decompensation,
• severe kidney and liver diseases,
• period of pregnancy and lactation in women,
• thyroid dysfunction,
• active pulmonary tuberculosis.

These are the main contraindications for which X-rays are not performed on patients. Some of them are relative, therefore, as soon as an examination is possible, such a diagnosis must be carried out.

Why is X-ray dangerous? Possible risks and consequences

X-ray methods in radiation diagnostics are one of the most popular types of diagnostics in medicine. They are used to identify dislocations, fractures, cancer, and degenerative changes in bones.

However, few of the patients who agree to X-ray examination wonder why X-rays are dangerous. And completely in vain.

Indeed, in some clinical cases such a diagnosis can lead to serious consequences.

The nature of X-rays and their properties

X-rays are a type of electromagnetic wave with a wavelength shorter than ultraviolet radiation. It is 70 to 5 nm, has deep penetrating ability. X-rays pass freely through the human body and make it possible to assess the condition of bones and some internal organs and systems of the body using a contrast agent.

Initially, this type of radiation was used only in traumatology for the diagnosis of fractures and dislocations, but now it is used in gastroenterology, pulmonology and surgery.

Despite the high efficiency of this research method, it is rightfully considered dangerous to human health. The radiation used in radiography and computed tomography is ionizing.

X-ray examination can have a negative effect on the DNA and RNA of living cells, causing their death or mutation.

It is believed that the effect of X-ray radiation on humans can provoke various pathologies, including cancer. This happens if a person is forced to undergo such examination frequently (more than once a month). Therefore, the use of this type of diagnostics in medicine is strictly regulated. As for MRI and ultrasound, these types of studies are considered safe.

Indications for X-ray

In medicine, there are many indications for radiography. In traumatology these are:

• traumatic injuries, including dislocations, fractures, bone displacements;
• benign and malignant neoplasms in bone tissue;
• congenital abnormalities of bone development, including dysplasia;
• degenerative-dystrophic changes in bone tissue, including arthrosis and osteoarthrosis;
• inflammatory diseases of bones and joints, including osteomyelitis.

Also in traumatology, x-rays are used to assess the effectiveness of treatment. It is also prescribed for diagnostics, which is carried out in preparation for surgery. When talking about how much radiation a person receives during an X-ray in traumatology, doctors call the lowest figures, which allows us to consider this study a safe procedure.

In pulmonology, x-rays are used in the following cases:

• pneumonia of various origins, infectious lung diseases;
• respiratory injuries;
• foreign bodies entering the bronchial tree;
• abnormalities in the development of the respiratory system;
• malignant and benign formations;
• pleurisy;
• parasitic infections of the respiratory system;
• tuberculosis;
• destructive changes in respiratory tissues, including emphysema;
• degenerative changes in the lungs, including gangrene.

In the presented cases, a minimum radiation dose is used during fluorography. In otolaryngology, x-rays are used to diagnose sinusitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, cysts, and congenital anomalies of the upper respiratory tract.

In neurology, this study is used to assess the condition of the spinal cord and brain after injuries, surgery, congenital anomalies of the development of the nervous system, degenerative changes, and cancer.

In dentistry, this type of examination is used to diagnose traumatic injuries, pulpitis, and cysts. Such X-rays are harmful to health only if used frequently.

Indications for radiography in gastroenterology, as well as surgery, are suspicions of an ulcer of the duodenum, stomach, intestinal obstruction, the presence of benign or malignant neoplasms, and malformations of internal organs, including the stomach and intestines.

Separately, we should talk about how long it takes to take an x-ray a second time. This depends on the reasons why the patient was prescribed such a test.

Thus, preventive fluorography is recommended to be done once a year, x-rays for fractures are repeated after two weeks or a month (according to indications), in case of severe lung diseases such diagnostics can be used again after 7-10 days.

The final number of studies in this case will depend on the severity of the patient’s condition and the effectiveness of treatment.

Application of X-rays in medicine

Several types of x-rays are used in medicine. Among them:

• X-ray. To conduct such a study, a special device is used, consisting of a screen and a tube that generates X-rays. The tube allows you to illuminate any part of the patient’s body and obtain a shadow image of it. This research method is considered one of the most informative. The negative impact of X-rays on the body when using this method is minimal due to the advent of new digital devices that reduce the dose load by hundreds of times.
• Radiography. This study involves recording the image on a special film. To conduct such a study, the object of study must be placed between the film and the radiation source. X-rays have a relatively low level of radiation and can be performed at short intervals.
• Fluorography. In this study, the doctor takes a photo of a shadow image from a backlit screen. To obtain such an image, the patient’s body is placed between a screen made of a luminescent substance and a radiation source. Radiation exposure during fluorography is 0.01-2.5 mSv.
• Computed tomography (CT). Allows you to examine various human organs. With this diagnosis, a beam of X-rays passes through the entire human body. The data it provides is recorded by wave sensors. CT allows you to diagnose the slightest changes in the human body that cannot be tracked using other types of radiation diagnostics.

What biological effect does X-ray radiation have on humans in general? Doctors know that it can lead to serious illnesses, so they rarely use all of the above types of research, only if there are special indications.

Radiation doses for various diagnostic techniques

Diagnostic methods used in medicine involve exposing the body to various doses of radiation. They depend on which part of the body is being x-rayed and which apparatus is used for the research. More detailed information about the permissible exposure to radiation during fluorography and other types of examination can be found in the table.

As we can see, a person can receive the greatest harm from fluorography, CT and fluoroscopy. Studies involving the use of film technology are more dangerous for the patient. The least dangerous are x-rays performed using digital equipment. This type of diagnosis is a priority and is more often prescribed to patients.

Features of the impact of x-rays on pregnant women and children

For women during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, X-ray irradiation is contraindicated. Such a study can be prescribed only if an acute illness or injury threatens the life of the expectant mother.

In this case, the radiation research method can be used. However, you should choose the option that has the minimum radiation dose, and also use protective clothing when conducting the study.

The choice of a specific method of radiological diagnostics depends on how necessary it is to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment, as well as on how harmful X-rays are in a particular clinical case.

Doctors show no less caution when prescribing radiation examinations for children. This type of diagnosis is not used for preventive purposes. For persons under 14 years of age, X-ray examination can be recommended only for severe injuries, as well as for acute illnesses.

How to protect yourself from radiation during an x-ray

The X-ray dose may be reduced. To reduce it, you need to pay attention to the following:

• choose the type of study in which the level of radiation is lower;
• if possible, replace x-rays with other types of studies in which there is no radiation exposure to the body;
• use individual means that can reduce the level of radiation exposure to the body (protection from X-ray radiation can be provided by special sleeves, aprons and other medical products).

Patients should also refuse X-rays without medical indications. If possible, the number of such procedures should be reduced during the acute period of the disease.

What harm can x-rays cause to the body?

Before undergoing such an examination, patients should know whether x-rays are harmful to humans. It can provoke:

• slight malaise immediately after the procedure, nausea, dizziness, muscle pain;
• reversible change in blood composition;
• leukemia;
• lymphocytosis;
• a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood (this pathology can lead to the formation of bruises on the human body and also provoke bleeding);
• decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood.

If a person has to undergo this type of examination several times in a short period of time, he or she may experience more severe consequences from the x-ray. Among these are infertility, cataracts, premature aging, as well as the development of malignant neoplasms in the body.

conclusions

X-ray diagnostics allows you to assess the condition of bones and internal organs and is therefore actively used in various branches of medicine. It is one of the most informative methods that allows you to make the correct diagnosis even in the most severe cases.

However, x-rays are not considered a safe type of diagnosis. The consequences of frequent fluorography, CT, and x-ray diagnostics can be severe for the patient. These include malignant neoplasms, leukemia, and premature aging. Thus, when making a decision about an x-ray examination, it is necessary to weigh the positive and negative effects of undergoing the procedure.

X-ray exposure - risks, doses, safety precautions:

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The effect of x-rays on the body of children and adults

The dangers of X-ray radiation are one of the first questions that arose after the discovery of this type of research. Scientists have found that radiation is not as clear-cut as previously thought and has negative sides. Dangerous aspects of X-ray examination:

• medical radiation dosage is much higher than what a person receives daily from nature,
• the human body does not have adaptation mechanisms to artificial radiation,
• the effect of x-rays on a sick body weakens it even more,
• the examination is often carried out unevenly, when the same organs are examined repeatedly, which creates an inadequate radiation dose and puts these organs and systems at risk,
• any dose of radiation, including a small one, provokes undesirable consequences, including malignant degeneration of cells.

  

These features indicate that x-ray diagnostics have an ambiguous effect on the body of both adults and children, and in many ways even have an unfavorable effect. The data obtained gave impetus to the study of the effect of x-rays on the child’s body, and this is what scientists were able to find out:

• children have increased sensitivity to radiation, and therefore any dose of radiation is undesirable for them,
• The developmental features of children's bodies lead to the fact that their internal organs receive a high dose of radiation compared to adults.

In view of these features, doctors are recommended to reduce the radiation dose in children to the minimum acceptable, and also to diagnose only according to indications, i.e., to exclude when other methods can be used.

Possible harm

Let us immediately mention that even on the day of writing this material, many people around the world took x-rays, and if irreparable disorders had developed from it, people would have died en masse. Yes, x-rays are harmful, but you certainly shouldn’t be afraid of them, because several procedures over the course of a year are unlikely to lead to sad consequences associated with the development of pathological changes at the cellular level.

Let us mention that different tissues of the human body are susceptible to x-ray radiation to varying degrees. Experts have long developed special limiting coefficients that clearly explain these differences. Here are the main disorders that may occur due to radiography:

• increased risk of developing any malignant tumors;
• premature aging, which is most clearly manifested on the skin;
• increased risk of male impotence or even infertility in both sexes;
• possible development of pathological processes throughout the body;
• the occurrence of disorders of both a mental and physical nature, which can develop in children with constant and relatively strong radiation exposure.

Remember that the possibility of radiography or its absence can only be determined by a qualified specialist with extensive experience, based specifically on your situation.

How to “make friends” with x-rays

Some patients think about the effect of the procedure on the body and are concerned about their health after the study. Doctors rush to reassure such people - X-ray irradiation for diagnostic purposes is completely safe.

Firstly, people don't take X-rays often enough to tell about the cumulative effect of radiation on the body. X-rays are often harmful, but this does not apply to isolated cases. One-time exposures will not harm your health and will not cause serious pathologies in the future.

Secondly, X-ray doses are minimal and therefore safe. The volume of radiation is enough to get an image of a particular organ, however, such numbers are not enough to cause serious harm.

Thirdly, a person receives a certain dose of radiation every day, even when he walks down the street. The cumulative effect of rays does not appear at low doses, just as when irradiated by a device.

Fourthly, after an x-ray examination, you can help remove products from the body, which will reduce the load.

And the last “iron” argument in favor of x-rays is its high diagnostic value.

There are extremely few people who have been proven to have died from exposure to X-rays, but there are many more patients who were not correctly diagnosed because X-rays were not used.

Therefore, on this scale, the benefits of x-rays outweigh its negative features.

Why shouldn't you be afraid of x-rays?

The influence of X-ray equipment cannot be denied, it exists, but should we be afraid of it, is X-ray harmful, is it dangerous?

Solar flares are one of the sources of “natural” radiation background

Natural radiation

We are afraid of radiation, exposure, because we have heard a lot about the effect it has on the human body. Only 30% of radiation a person receives from artificial radiation objects, and the remaining 70% are natural sources of radiation and exposure. A significant dose of radiation is radon, a gas that is always present in rocks.

There is a dose of radiation and exposure in the world's oceans or the human body - this is potassium 40. If you live next to a nuclear power plant or an enterprise that works with nuclear energy, then the dose of radiation and exposure increases by 1%. Don't forget about cosmic radiation.

Every day a person receives his portion of radiation, exposure; in some countries where there are a lot of rocks, the dose is 3–5 times higher than in other places (Sweden, France, Finland). But despite this, no surge in diseases has been noticed in these countries. The population here gets sick no more often than in other regions, and some areas are even considered recognized resorts.

How much natural radiation does the human body receive per year? In our country this is 2 mSv, and the world average is 2.4 mSv per year. If the patient undergoes medical examinations, then another 1 mSv per year must be added to this figure, i.e., on average, about 3.4 mSv per year.

When undergoing an X-ray examination, a person receives a small load on the body, especially if the latest equipment was used, which has a minimal radiation dose. Therefore, examinations can and should be done, but not too often.

X-ray of teeth

Is the dose of X-ray radiation dangerous?

Mild radiation sickness occurs if the human body was exposed to a load of 2–4 mSv. To reach this figure, you need to take 100 dental photographs in one day. The maximum dose of radiation, which does not exceed the norm, is given only to those patients who have experienced severe injuries or accidents, and therefore require constant monitoring. How dangerous is this?

What is the lethal dose of X-ray radiation? If a person receives a dose of 3–5 Sv (not to be confused with mSv), he will die within one or two months after exposure due to bone marrow damage. If this lethal dose is 10 Sv, then he will die in 10 -20 days due to problems in the lungs and gastrointestinal tract. If the lethal dose is more than 15 Sv, then he will die in 1–5 days due to damage to the nervous system. But such a lethal dose is nonsense; when examining the lungs, the dose received is no higher than 0.03 mSv.

How to remove radiation

If a person is healthy, then after an x-ray examination there is no need to do anything, its influence is minimal and it is not dangerous. But if you have to be a frequent visitor to the X-ray room every year, it is necessary to reduce the impact of radiation on human health. Proper nutrition will help remove radiation:

Milk and dairy products help fight small doses of radiation. To remove radiation, drink freshly squeezed juices with pulp. You can use any fruits and vegetables, but pomegranate and red grape juice are especially beneficial. Eat iodine-containing foods (seaweed, fish, etc.). Cottage cheese, rice, prunes are useful.

The listed products help remove radiation. But before the procedure, it is better not to eat foods that accumulate radionuclides: jellied meat, boiled eggs and bone broth. Although even with such nutrition, undergoing this procedure

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X-ray examination or Mantoux test: which is better?

It is not always correct to compare the harm of a tuberculin test and an x-ray, since the specifics of the research are different, as is the purpose of diagnosis. The Mantoux reaction is a mass test carried out to prevent the infection of children's groups with tuberculosis. If preventive tests reveal a carrier, then he is protected from the group, which saves a significant number of children from infection.

X-ray examination is done according to indications, and one of these is a positive Mantoux reaction. X-rays are not done en masse; they are a diagnostic procedure prescribed when a problem is suspected. Signs of tuberculosis are prolonged fever, cough, weakness, emaciation, decreased immunity and other signs indicating tuberculosis.

When considering whether x-rays are harmful, they are classified as unfavorable tests than the Mantoux test. However, you should not neglect it if the doctor sees the need to conduct research.

What happens during irradiation?

Cancer cells grow and multiply rapidly. They displace healthy cells from the affected organ, replacing them with their own malignant ones. But, unlike normal tissues, cancerous structures cannot perform the functions of an organ that is susceptible to infection; they only parasitize on this organ, actively multiplying and growing into neighboring tissues. Therefore, X-rays affect them effectively. It should be taken into account that not only oncological formations are characterized by active cell growth, but also some normal structures - germ cells, hematopoietic cells located in spongy bone substance, immune cells, endocrine glands.

For this reason, radiation therapy damages not only malignant tumors, but also normal cells that are necessary for the full functioning of the entire body. As a result of radiation, the patient experiences consequences characteristic of radiation sickness:

• nausea;
• vomit;
• deterioration of blood composition;
• hair and eyelash loss;
• general weakness;
• weakened immunity;
• increased fatigue;
• subcutaneous hemorrhages, as the vascular walls become excessively brittle;
• burns and ulcers.

Permitted radiation dosage

The safe amplitude of X-ray radiation is the range from 0.02 to 0.1 mSV. The critical dose at which radiation sickness develops is 0.7 pollutants. When performing fluorography on a digital device , a person receives a dose of 0.03 mSV, which corresponds to the norm. A person receives the same dose of radiation from the external environment.

Computed tomography is done at a dosage of 10 mSV; it will take two years to receive such a dose from the outside. The load is high compared to equivalents, but acceptable and the consequences do not cause complications after the examination.

Therefore, there is no need to worry about conducting a short-term X-ray examination - it is safe, the devices operate according to sanitary standards and deliver the dosage that is permitted and does not cause harm to health.

Permissible radiation doses

Every patient who visits an x-ray diagnostic room is tormented by one question: what will be the consequences of x-ray radiation?

The dosage is calculated depending on the procedure performed.

To understand how often you can undergo x-ray diagnostics, below is a list of radiation dosages and the duration of their effect on the body:

• chest area – 10 days;
• gastrointestinal tract – 3 years;
• tomography of the hip area and abdominal cavity – 2 years;
• breast scanning (mammography) – 3 months;
• X-rays of the lower and upper extremities – have virtually no harmful properties;
• X-ray of teeth - the radiation dose is extremely small.

Above is a list of international standards that are followed in every medical institution.

Elimination of the consequences of radiotherapy

Radiation is a kind of poisoning when the body receives something that should not be in it. To avoid the complications of X-ray radiation, it is useful to drink more milk and eat fresh vegetables and fruits to remove radiation - they help cope with the consequences. The same recommendations are given to patients after radiotherapy.

X-ray examinations are associated with health risks. It is carried out exclusively according to indications, when there is a need for it. You should not be afraid of x-rays, because its health benefits are many times greater than its harm.

Recommendations

There is a small list of necessary measures that need to be taken immediately after x-rays. This will reduce the chance of even minor complications from X-rays to almost zero.

So what needs to be done:

• Immediately after fluoroscopy, take a glass of full-fat milk. It helps remove radiation from the body, but in small doses;
• grape juice or dry wine are used as an aid to remove radiation from the body;
• To help block the spread of radiation in the body, it is necessary to consume iodized foods for some time. Seafood is perfect for this role.

But it is worth remembering that no additional measures to eliminate the effects of x-rays, which have a detrimental effect on the body, are required.

In conclusion, it can be added that X-rays have negative effects on the human body. However, correctly calculated wavelength and precautions after an x-ray will help avoid many negative consequences.

How is X-ray radiation produced?

For the first time, the nature of radiation, which was incomprehensible in those years, was described by the German researcher Wilhelm Roentgen as a side effect caused during experiments with cathode tubes and fluorescent materials. During the experiments, it turned out that in addition to the glow of the material, i.e. the directly studied effect, there is radiation that appears after the collision of a flow of electrons with an obstacle. Moreover, this radiation is able to penetrate through opaque materials and interact with photographic plates.

As it turned out, these all-penetrating invisible rays are able to demonstrate hidden objects, including skeletal bones, without the need to open anything. The images recorded on the plates showed the condition of the skeleton and possible defects. Which came in very handy for medicine, which was rapidly developing in those years.

The nature of X-radiation was reasonably equated with the nature of radioactivity, especially since the effects partially converge. At the same time, the main risks were identified and the main harms were identified, and this did not even require experiments. It turned out that the harm from the effects of rays is less than the benefits brought by research using X-ray equipment, but the danger cannot be ignored. Therefore, rules and regulations have been developed that must be followed to avoid complications.

X-rays are most widely used in medicine. The principle of producing x-rays was developed by their discoverer. Despite the preservation of the fundamental method of obtaining X-rays, constant improvement of equipment is being carried out, aimed primarily at reducing the negative impact.

Among the medical industries, the greatest use of X-ray radiation is observed in surgery, traumatology and tumor diagnosis. Widely used in disease prevention, both independently and in combination with contrast agents.

Today, only ophthalmology and examination of pregnant women, perinatal diagnostics and examination of young children can do without X-ray examination. In other cases, X-ray examination can be used, both once and with the use of periodic diagnostic manipulations.

The main reason for refusing X-rays in ophthalmology is the low information content, since the bones of the skull provide a significant shadow, and it is easier to diagnose using other methods. Perinatal, antenatal and pediatric radiography is practically not used to exclude harm that may be caused.

X-ray protection

What to do after completing the examination procedure?

Set of rules:

• It is recommended to drink a glass of milk - the drink helps reduce harm from dangerous waves.
• A glass of grape juice or red wine will help.
• In the following days, it is recommended to increase the consumption of foods high in iodine.

The radiation after the procedure does not require specific removal; the harmful effects are gradually neutralized.

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