TYPES OF MEDICAL IMAGING PROCEDURES AND

EFFECTIVENESS OF RADIATION DOSES

I. Introduction

Medical Imaging refers to different processes and imaging modalities to image the human

body for treatment and diagnostic purposes and therefore plays an important role for all

population groups in initiatives to improve public health. Furthermore, Medical Imaging is

frequently support to follow up of a disease already treated or diagnosed (World Health

Organization, 2017).

Imaging procedures are medical tests that allow doctors to see inside of the body in order

to treat, diagnose, and monitor health conditions. It is often used by doctors to determine the best

treatment options for patients by using medical imaging procedures (Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, 2020).

Radiation Dose is when the human body or an object penetrates by ionizing radiation, it

deposits energy. This energy absorbed from exposure to radiation (Canadian Nuclear Safety

Commission, 2019).

The researcher would like to know the types of medical imaging procedures on regions of

the human body as well as the importance of medical imaging and effectiveness of average

radiation doses for every procedure. Also, the researcher would like to identify the possible

recommendations in dealing with high dose imaging specifically to patients.

II. Statement of the Problem

This study would like to investigate and identify Levels of Medical Imaging Procedures

and Effectiveness of Radiation Doses. The research will be guided by the following questions:

1. What are the types of imaging procedures for regions of the body and the importance of

medical imaging?

2. What is the average effective radiation doses reported for every procedure?
 3. What are the possible recommendations in dealing with high dose imaging specifically to

patients?

III. Hypothesis

The research is about the types of medical imaging procedures and the importance of

medical imaging and average effective radiation doses in the region of the body. The research

would also determine the recommendations in dealing with high dose imaging that may or may

not have an effect to patients.

H: High dose imaging and radiation doses has an effect to patients.

H0: High dose imaging and radiation doses does not have an effect to patients.

IV. Scope and Limitation

This study was about the Types of Medical Imaging Procedures and Effectiveness of

Radiation Doses. The researcher would only focus to provide the importance of medical imaging

and tables showing different types of imaging procedures and average effective doses for every

procedure in the region of the body as well as to determine the recommendations in dealing with

high dose imaging to patients. This study will not discuss other problems that are not stated in

the guided questions. The study would be done through the utilization of references and the

researcher will able to know the types of medical imaging procedures and average effective

doses.

V. Methods

The researcher used the Descriptive Design Method for this study to know the Types of

Medical Imaging Procedures and Effectiveness of Radiation Doses. The gathered data would be

used to answer the following guide questions. Research Guides (2020) stated that this method

helps provide answers to the questions of what, where, when, and who and how particular
research problem associated with. It is used to gathered information resulting to the current status

of the phenomena. According to Villanueva (2013), Descriptive Design Method determined by

separating it into its part and describes the nature of an object revealing the purpose to discover

the nature of things.

VI. Discussion

The findings of the gathered data to answer the guide questions were presented below:

1. What are the types of imaging procedures for regions of the body and the importance of

medical imaging?

TABLE 1. Types of Imaging Procedures and Regions

Procedures Regions

Bone density test+ Spine, Hip and Forearm

Arm or leg, Panoramic dental, Chest, and
X-ray
Lumbar spine
Mammogram Breast
Head, Cardiac for calcium scoring, Spine,

CT scan Pelvis, Chest, Abdomen, Colonoscopy, and

Whole body
Nuclear imaging Bone scan and Cardiac stress test
Harvard Health (2020)

According to table 1, it shows different imaging procedures and regions of the body.

Vision Xray Group (2015) stated that medical imaging changed the health care industry and to

learn more about the human body by practitioners and scientists. Physicians used diagnostic

scans such as a CT scan and X- rays. Medical imaging is a vital part of confirming diseases or

any diagnosis. It allows the Physicians to adjust protocols as necessary and track the progress of
an ongoing illness. As for Mammography, it can help to detect early signs of having breast

cancer.

Medical imaging shows improvements in treatment of numerous medical disease or

conditions in patients. It is an essential tool for health care professionals to assist with treatment,

diagnostic, and prevention. Early detection of diseases and cancers are important. By taking

some medical images, it can determine the problems that can occur inside of the body.

Familiarizing the procedures and regions of the body are also important to avoid mistakes,

accidents or casualties when producing the diagnostic images as the small increased of radiation

exposed to the patients it will develop cancer later in life. Radiologic Technologists must follow

the principle of ‘As Low as Reasonably Achievable (ALARA),’ when manipulating the

equipment setting to minimize the exposure.

2. What is the average effective radiation doses reported for every procedure?

According to Harvard Health Publishing (2010), people in the media have been

talking about the risks of exposure to radiation. People wanted to be knowledgeable

whether such imaging procedures (Mammogram, CT scans, Bone density test, X-ray,

Nuclear Imagine) will elevate the risks of developing harmful diseases such as cancer.

TABLE 2. Average effective radiation for Bone density test

Harvard Medical School (2010)

Procedure Average effective dose Range reported in the

(mSv) literature (mSv)

Bone density 0.001 0.00-0.035
test+

TABLE 3. Average effective radiation for X-ray

 Harvard Medical School (2010)

Procedure Average effective dose Range reported in the

(mSv) literature (mSv)

Arm or leg 0.001 0.0002-0.1
Dental 0.01 0.007-0.09
Chest 0.1 0.05-0.24
Abdominal 0.7 0.04-1.1
Lumbar spine 1.5 0.5-1.8

TABLE 4. Average effective radiation for Mammogram

Harvard Medical School (2010)

Procedure Average effective dose Range reported in the

(mSv) literature (mSv)

Mammogram 0.4 0.10-0.6

TABLE 5. Average effective radiation for CT-Scan

Harvard Medical School (2010)

Procedure Average effective dose Range reported in the

(mSv) literature (mSv)

Head 2 0.9-4
Cardiac 3 1.0-12
Spine 6 1.5-10
Pelvis 6 3.3-10
Chest 7 4.0-18
Abdomen 8 3.5-25
Colonoscopy 10 4.0-13.2
Angiogram 16 5.0-32
Whole body variable 20 or more

TABLE 6. Average effective radiation for Nuclear Imaging

Harvard Medical School (2010)

Procedure Average effective dose Range reported in the

 (mSv) literature (mSv)
Bone scan 6.3 -
Cardiac stress test 40.7 -

Tables 2-6 shown above exhibits the average effective dose of radiation in the unit of

millisievert (mSv) for different types of medical imaging (Mammogram, CT scans, Bone density

test, X-ray, Nuclear Imagine) in its corresponding regions of the body, given by the Harvard

Medical School in comparison to the range of the reported effective doses in the articles and

literatures.

These amount of doses are important to know since it might or might not tremendously

affect a patient’s health. Radiation are part of the medical however, it can lead to public health

problems in the future if not studied.

3. What are the possible recommendations in dealing with high dose imaging specifically to

patients?

As said, ionizing radiation gives a massive amount of energy that can destroy

cells in the body, meaning it might be harmful. The most common health risk brought by

a strong radiation is its capability to damage DNA. A damage to DNA caused by too

much ration can generate more serious implications in the future such as cancer, tissue

effects like cataracts, hair loss, and skin reddening.

Due to the emergence of the health risks factors caused by radiation, experts

studied ways to reduce high dose imaging in order to lower radiation exposure. In this

generation, according to the University of Michigan, Physics Quality Control Groups is

now on the process of enhancing machines and purchasing systems which features
 lessens radiation dose. In high dose imaging, physicians encourage the use of smaller

doses of radiotracers. There are many other recommendations and intervention that are in

the process of invention and innovation to minimize the bad effects of high doses

imaging that entails to high exposure to radiation.

Links:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/cancer/radiation-risk-from-medical-imaging
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?

hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=effects+of+lowering+radiation+to+patients&btnG=