Americans get most radiation from medical scans (by AP Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione via

[bobthedrummer]

6-14-10 Guardian)

"We fret about airport scanners, power lines, cell phones and even microwaves. It's true that we get too much radiation. But it's not from these sources-it's from too many medical tests."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9126542

[NoNothing]

1. Well for one thing,

Power lines, cell phones, and microwaves emit non-ionizing radiation. Like a light bulb. So why anyone would fret about these is quite beyond me.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Background radiation vs. other sources...

RADIATION EXPOSURE FROM TESTS AND OTHER SOURCES

The average American is exposed each year to about 3 millisieverts (mSv) of "background radiation," produced by the sun, cosmic rays and even radon in the home. Some diagnostic imaging tests expose patients to additional radiation. Studies of atomic bomb survivors have found an increased risk of cancerat doses of 10 to 100 millisieverts (mSv). A measure of radiation exposure in everyday activities and medical tests:

Activity Millisieverts (mSv) Equivalent amount of background radiation

Coast-to-coast airplane flight 0.03 mSv 3 days

Chest X-ray 0.1 10 days

Dental X-ray 0.2 20 days

Mammogram 0.7 3 months

PET scan, brain 1.0 3 1/2 months

CT, routine head 2.0 6 1/2 months

PET scan, heart 11.8 3 1/4 years

CT, suspected aneurysm 24.0 6 1/2 years

Ultrasound No radiation, uses sound energy N/A

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) No radiation, uses magnetic field and radio waves N/A


Sources: Health Physics Society, American College of Radiology, Archives of Internal Medicine

[ccinamon]

4. Mammograms...3 months!

I'm glad I only have them done every 3 to 4 years! My husband keeps telling me that mammograms are just 3 days of background radiation...can't wait to prove him wrong!

[bobthedrummer]

3. From OSHA: Radiofrequency and Microwave Radiation (in response to other posts)

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/radiofrequencyradiation/