It has been said that x-rays should only be performed when absolutely necessary because it can cause an increased exposure to radiation and therefore lead to cancer. Shu et al. (2002) and Grufferman et al. (2009) discovered that in utero and postnatal exposure to x-rays can lead to childhood leukemia but only with increased exposures to x-rays during pregnancy. Researchers have found that due to the decrease in x-rays being performed on pregnant women, the risk of childhood leukemia identified with x-ray exposures drastically decreased. Nevertheless, as exposure of radiation rises, it will cause genome instability which would then lead to “the accumulation of DNA damage and alteration in DNA and histone methylation”(Bartley et al. 2010). This can then create extreme health problems such as brain tumors, cancers, and it would weaken a patient's immune system.
Therefore, researchers have concluded that the risk of getting cancer and other health issues all depends on how much radiation one has been exposed to and that the use of x-rays have minimal risks unless used inappropriately. “A large case-control study from the German Childhood Cancer Registry reported a reduced risk for leukemia (all types) among subjects exposed to three or few x-rays”(Bartley et al., 2010). In other words, the less exposure to x-rays and radiation a person has then the less likely that they will acquire cancer or other health problems identified with the exposure to radiation. Additionally, in Japan, it was discovered that some institutions gave patients too much radiation exposure while others gave too little. Tsushima et al. (2010) have found that an adjustment to the radiation dose for every CT examination will help control radiation exposures to prevent a patient from getting too much unnecessary exposure or getting too little exposure. Moreover, there has been a decreasing use of diagnostic x-rays during pregnancy because of increasing use of diagnostic ultrasound tests which do not pose as a threat to the human health nor the fetus (Shu et al., 2002).
X-rays are dangerous because it is an procedure where radiation is exposed but it can only pose harmful if it is occuring several times and if it was being performed unnecessarily. It has also been concluded that the increase of radiation exposure can and will cause harm effects on the body such as cancer.
Works Cited
Bartley, Karen., Metayer, Catherine., Selvin, Steve., Ducore, Jonathan.,and Buffler, Patricia. 2010. "Diagnostic X-Rays and Risk of Childhood Leukaemia." International journal of epidemiology 39.6 (2010): 1628-37. Print.
Grufferman, Seymour S., Ruymann, Frederick F., Ognjanovic, Simona S., Erhardt, Erik B.E.B., and Maurer, Harold M.H.M. 2009. "Prenatal X-Ray Exposure and Rhabdomyosarcoma in Children: A Report from the Children's Oncology Group." Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 18.4 (2009): 1271-6. Print.
Shu, Xiao Ou X. O., Potter, John D.J.D., Linet, Martha S.M.S., Severson, Richard K.R.K., Han, Dehui D., Kersey, John H.J.H., Neglia, Joseph P.J.P.,Trigg, Michael E.M.E., and Robison, Leslie L.L.L. 2002. "Diagnostic X-Rays and Ultrasound Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia by Immunophenotype." Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 11.2 (2002): 177-85. Print.
Tsushima, Yoshito., Taketomi-Takahashi, Ayako., Takei, Hiroyuki., Otake, Hidenori., and Endo, Keigo. 2010. "Radiation Exposure from CT Examinations in Japan." BMC Medical Imaging 10 (2010): 24-. Print.
