Among hospital examination items,
CT is one of the most common items.
But many people say that CT has high radiation.
Some people said that it be harmful to health and even potentially cause cancer?
So, is the threat of CT to health really so great? What should we pay attention to when doing a CT scan?
Lets first understand what CT is?
CT, whose full name is Computerized Tomography, is a medical imaging examination technology.
Its main characteristic is to use X-rays to penetrate the human body and then reconstruct tomographic images through computer calculations. Simply put, its like slicing bread, cutting the human body into thin slice images to assist doctors in diagnosis.
Currently, CT can be roughly divided into plain CT and enhanced CT based on the examination method.
Plain CT
For plain CT, the patient only needs to lie flat on the CT machine for scanning. Generally, plain CT can be used as the primary examination item for initial inspections and acute disease conditions.
Enhanced CT
Enhanced CT is based on plain CT, and a retained needle is administered to the patient through intravenous injection, followed by high-pressure injection of a contrast agent. This transforms the blurry images that are not clearly visible in plain CT into high-definition images, allowing for more accurate diagnosis of diseases.
How much radiation is there in a CT scan? Can it cause cancer?
Firstly, it can be confirmed that because CT uses X-rays for imaging, it does indeed have radiation. The harm of CT mainly comes from the ionizing radiation of X-rays, and excessive ionizing radiation can damage cells and the human body.
However, CT is not as scary as we imagine!
As the saying goes, discussing harm without considering the dosage is like playing tricks. Similarly, radiation damage only occurs when the radiation exceeds a certain dosage.
So, what is the radiation dosage that can damage the human body?
According to radiation protection standards of our country, the annual dose limit for radiation workers is 50 mSv. In clinical practice, the common examination radiation doses we encounter are all within 10 mSv.
Furthermore, in the natural environment where we live, there is already a trace amount of natural radiation. We cannot avoid it and there is no need to avoid it because it has no impact on health.
For example: *Flying in an airplane for 20 hours results in a radiation dose of approximately 0.1 mSv.
*Smoking 20 cigarettes per day results in an annual radiation dose of approximately 2 mSv.
Therefore, for ordinary people, undergoing a single CT scan during routine physical examinations or diagnostic examinations does not exceed the radiation dose limit, so there is no need to worry excessively.
So, how many CT scans can be done within one year?
Generally, radiation remains in the body for 1-2 months. It is acceptable for adults to undergo 4-6 CT scans within one year, with each scan spaced approximately 2 months apart. If it is just for a routine physical examination, it is recommended to do 1-2 CT scans per year.
If frequent CT scans are necessary for disease diagnosis and treatment, regular biochemical tests, especially blood tests, must be conducted to promptly detect the impact of radiation on the body and provide corresponding corrective treatment.
Two preparations can reduce the radiation from CT scans
Before the examination: Ensure proper radiation protection for the body
You can ask the medical staff if there are additional protective equipment such as protective clothing to cover special areas like the thyroid, in order to avoid radiation.
After the examination: Drink more water and consume foods that accelerate radiation metabolism
During an enhanced CT scan, a contrast agent is injected into the veins. After the examination, to accelerate the excretion of the contrast agent, you can drink enough water, about 1200-1500ml, multiple times.
Additionally, after undergoing a CT scan, it is recommended to increase the intake of foods rich in iodine, such as kelp, laver, spinach, and oranges. As well as foods rich in vitamin C, such as tomatoes and carrots, which help boost the bodys immunity and promote the rapid elimination of radiation substances from the body.
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