What Are The Risks Associated With CT Scan And How To Prevent It?
X-ray has been in the market for the last 120 years, whereas CT was introduced in 1970, and since then, it started to gain much popularity in the medical world, and it even achieved the nobel prize in 1979. CT or computed tomography uses several X-rays to get a detailed image of the inner layers of the body, which is more precise and well defined to understand internal health. Doctors have used this technique for 50 years to detect various diseases and critical conditions. Recently, the application and availability of CT scans in Delhi have dramatically increased. Doctors use these imaging techniques, which use ionizing radiation more rapidly to determine health hazards and fatal injuries. These tests use a small amount of radiation and radioactive material to get a detailed outcome. PET and bone scans are some of the most common and performed in most clinics.
Healthcare practitioners have recommended this test to monitor or detect various diseases since the beginning. Still, a recent study has revealed the scary fact that a CT scan exposes a patient to radiation, and repeated exposure to it might cause some serious effects even if it is also noticed that doctors are overusing this technique which is causing unnecessary radiation exposure.
The Risk Associated With CT Scan?
If your doctor has ordered a whole body scan, he probably wants to know the issues associated with a particular disease or the entire report of your internal organs. In such cases, two questions arise, one is “what will be the full body CT scan price in Delhi”, and the latter is, " Will it cause any risk".
While answering the first one is easy, the whole body CT scan price is around 25000. Whereas answering the second question is tough. As we all know, overexposure to radiation may cause cancer.
CT scan uses a special type of radiation known as ionizing radiation that can damage the DNA while changing the composition causing the cells to become cancerous. A CT scan is 100 times more powerful than the x-ray technique, as a chest CT scan is equivalent to 100-200 chest x-rays. Therefore a CT scan exposes you to more radiation than an x-ray still the total amount of radiation exposure is negligible.
It is necessary to know that every human is exposed to radiation from natural radioactive materials. Scientists measure radiation through mSv, and an average gets three mSv units radioactive from the surroundings, and a low dose scan provides 1.5 mSv, whereas a high dose gives eight mSv. Therefore it is important to measure the dose of the CT scan and where it needs to be done.
Steps To Minimize Radiation Exposure From City Scan
The following measures can be taken to minimize the radiation exposure from CT scans.
It is important to customize the scanning based on the size and weight of the patient and the body part where the scanning needs to be done.
Using other alternative imaging techniques like MRI to avoid the risk associated with CT scan
Elimination of unnecessary exams and only go for exams where it is needed
Choose the lowest effective dose to avoid the highest dose
Don't go for unnecessary repeat scans and ask for alternatives in case a repeat scan is needed. Sometimes doctors prefer new CT scans instead of checking the old one. So show him the report of the latest tests instead of going for a new one.
Whenever your doctor is asking you to get a CT scan done, then before asking for a CT scan price, you should try to know why it is being recommended. If some other imaging tests yield the same results, then ask your doctor to prescribe the latter to avoid radiation exposure.
Lastly, check the credentials of the clinic offering the CT scan process. An advanced clinic like Janta X-ray Pvt. Ltd. will provide the best and most advanced equipment that can be easily customized to control the radiation emission.
CT scan is a vital process which should be done when necessary. So it is essential to use it wisely and safely to control the campaigning radiation effect. The above-mentioned process helps to control the radiation damage up to a great extent so it should be followed if you are about to take the test.