The proper treatment of medical X-rays “Go get an X-ray!” Or “Go get a CT scan.” I’m sure you’ve often heard these words when you or a loved one goes to the doctor. However, I am afraid that many people have difficulty answering the question of what an X-ray is and whether it is harmful to the human body. Or maybe you are afraid of X-rays and think that entering a radiology department is like entering a “danger zone” full of radiation. Of course, this fear is justified, but it is clearly overblown. However, the reality is that many people do have questions about the risks of X-rays. What are the risks associated with x-rays? Is it possible to get away with it? Many people are torn. In fact, more exposure to X-rays will indeed be harmful to the body, but do not let this “demonize” the X-ray examination, we should pay attention to it, but also to defy it! X-rays “cause” disease but more “cure” 1895 Roentgen discovered X-rays, and just a few months later, this “see-through” rays have been used in the field of medicine, to In 1895, Röntgen discovered X-rays, and only a few months later, these “see-through” rays were already being used in medicine to detect diseases by means of imaging, and became the “mirror”, so the people used to call it “mirroring”. Since then, as a common diagnostic tool in clinical practice, X-rays have been widely used and have greatly improved the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, and have become an important part of evidence-based medicine. ”It can be said that without X-rays, there would be no development of modern medicine, and doctors would not be able to observe the internal structure of a patient before an incision is made, and post-treatment evaluation would not be possible.” However, the penetration of X-rays into the human body produces certain biological reactions, and if the amount of exposure to X-rays is too much and exceeds the permissible dose, it may produce a radiation reaction that leads to damage to the body and increases the likelihood of cancer risk. Generally speaking, the human body receives about 0.02 mSv of radiation for every X-ray taken. How much radiation can the human body actually withstand? Recently, Japan has revised the acceptable radiation dose for the human body to receive no more than 200 millisieverts of radiation exposure in a year. Of course, each person’s resistance and physique will be different. In addition, in our country’s relevant regulations, the human body can accept the annual radiation dose limit is only 50 millisieverts, the risk to human health is even less. Many people are afraid because they do not know enough about medical X-rays. Of course, X-rays are a “double-edged sword”, but the overall benefits outweigh the disadvantages, as long as the amount of radiation does not exceed the acceptable limit, nothing to worry about. On the contrary, if you blindly avoid X-rays, it is a great loss to your disease diagnosis and treatment. What’s more, radiation is everywhere in our lives, even if you sunbathe, watch TV, fly, even the air you breathe every day, the food you eat also has radiation, but the amount is very small and does not cause harm to the human body, so you can not feel its presence. Normal X-ray examination is small damage to the body We all know that the more radiation illuminated the greater the damage to the body, that is now widely used X-ray examination, the radiation in the end will not produce risks, which is the concern of many people. ”In fact, due to advances in equipment technology, the radiation dose has now been greatly reduced compared to the previous, basically do not worry about its harmful effects. Moreover, the scope of its irradiation will also have the precise control of specialized equipment, the rays will not ‘run amok’, not to mention the worry that it will affect other parts.” To take an X-ray, now you “eat” the amount of radiation per shot is about 0.02 millisieverts. Some people explain that this is actually equivalent to the amount of radiation you accumulate 4 to 6 months of watching TV or looking at the computer for 2 hours a day, the impact on the body is negligible. Generally speaking, there are two types of radiation in medical examinations: one is radiation in radiological images, such as taking X-rays, doing CT, this kind of radiation is directional and controllable, basically to ensure that only the site being examined will have radiation, radiation dose is also quite small. The other type is radiation in nuclear medicine examination, which is not directional and will persist for quite a long time, but has controllability after taking measures. After a general nuclear medicine examination, radionuclides tend to remain in the body of a person, which can cause possible radiation damage to the surrounding exposed population if left unprotected. However, the radionuclides used in such examinations nowadays have a very short radiation distance, low dose, and short duration of action, and have very little effect on the human body. Of course, after receiving a nuclear medicine examination, it is better to avoid close and intimate contact with family members for a short period of time. ”The medical staff will pay attention to the protection of patients when they conduct imaging examinations, and the one that is not used will be protected.” . However, there are still people who have the misconception that as long as the X-ray is taken, it must be harmful to the body, too “demonized”, or too “arbitrary”, often taking the initiative to request a variety of X-ray examinations, which are not correct. “In clinical practice, whether to do X-ray examinations or not, need professional judgment, should follow the advice of doctors.” Don’t X-ray more than once a year! To be properly understood Of course, we should pay attention to the fact that radiation has cumulative benefits, and too frequent and long-term X-ray examinations should be avoided as much as possible. China’s Health Planning Commission also has clear provisions in the health examination should be strictly controlled in the frequency of radiological examination and the dose of radiation exposure, generally no more than 1 per person per year in the application of radiological examination technology in the health examination. In fact, the regulations refer to “normal people’s general physical examination”! It is best not to exceed once a year, and people with certain diseases have to be treated differently. ”If you were sick once in March, then again in June, then again in October, and both require an X-ray, what would you do? Refuse? That’s definitely a no. For example, if you have a specific disease that requires more than one X-ray, do you treat the disease first or do you obsess over the X-ray exposure? Even if it is the same X-ray examination of the film and CT scan, the radiation dose is different, the medical effect also varies, you can not because the CT radiation than the film, do not do it!” “So, sometimes it is necessary to treat the specific situation. Of course, professional medical staff will also take protective measures for patients as much as possible.” It is necessary to do less chest X-ray “However, there is one type of X-ray examination or try not to use – X-ray fluoroscopy, which is also on what we often call chest X-ray.” Chest X-ray, the full name of fluoroscopy, it can be said that its radiation in the X-ray examination is relatively large, do a chest X-ray can be equivalent to take N times X-ray photo examination. In the United States, Japan and other developed countries, chest X-ray has been largely eliminated. The countries that still use this method, such as China, are also trying to reduce the use rate, and in China’s relevant laws and regulations to limit and reduce the harm of X-ray chest X-ray on the human body has long been stipulated. Unless the disease examination needs, such as the need to observe the oscillation of the mediastinum or diaphragm movement, or gastrointestinal examination or contrast examination, etc. For example, in the Basic Standards for the Safety of Ionizing Radiation and Radiation Sources, “X-ray fluoroscopy should be avoided for diagnostic screening examinations” and “X-ray fluoroscopy of the lungs should not be used as a routine examination for young children and adolescents”. Medical X-ray diagnostic radiation health protection and image quality assurance management regulations” stipulates that “medical examinations of infants, young children, children and adolescents should not include X-ray chest examinations as a routine examination item; the interval between X-ray chest examinations for pre-employment or regular medical examinations of practitioners is generally not less than two years. And “radiation diagnosis and treatment management regulations” clearly states that medical institutions to carry out interventional radiology and other X-ray imaging diagnostic workplace, should be equipped with staff protective equipment and personal protective equipment for the subject. The sensitive organs and tissues (eyes, thyroid, gonads, etc.) adjacent to the irradiation are shielded and protected, and patients and examinees are informed in advance of the health effects of radiation. However, fluoroscopy is still indispensable for the diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases, such as gastrointestinal examinations. In some parts of China, X-ray chest X-ray is still a “reserved program” in the annual physical examination for school entrance, physical examination for higher education, medical examination for employment, as well as unit health examination! In this regard “we still call for the use of fluoroscopy as far as possible! For example, the use of film examination instead of chest X-ray.”