Orbit CT/CAT scan? risk?

Hi,

I took a orbit CT scan today (around the eye), is there risk involved with CT scan? I had like a lead protective thing from my waist to my knees, would the radiation cost any damage? what is the radiation dose exactly? any side effect from this? thanks

The attached site has questions and answers regarding radiation exposure. All questions are answered by qualified medical personnel. In a CT scan, the radiation dose is directed only to the part being imaged. Radiation does not float around the room. Your ovaries/testicles (you don't state if you are male or female) will receive little if any radiation during a CT scan of your head. Here is an example of what I found:

"Q: What are the radiation dose and exposure risks involved in a CT of the paranasal sinuses, i.e., a CT of the whole set of sinuses around the nose, with no more specifications given by the physician requesting the CT examination? Is it comparable to what is usually designated as a "skull CT" or a "head CT"?

A: A CT of the sinuses is basically the same as a CT of the head. While the measured dose to the head is typically in the range of 2,000 to 5,000 millirem1 (mrem), this exposure would correspond to an equivalent dose2 of approximately 200 mrem for the entire body. A dose of 200 mrem is roughly equal to a year's worth of background radiation from continuous exposes to cosmic rays, radioactive materials present in the earth and building materials, and radioactive materials normally present within our own bodies from the food we eat. For a further explanation of CT doses, please see my answer to Ask the Experts question Q2424.

It is impossible to predict what, if any, risk is associated with this level of radiation dose. Some general information and comments on this topic can be found in the answer to Ask the Experts question Q2343.

Kenneth L. Miller, CHP, CMHP
Penn State Hershey Medical Center "

http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q27...

CT stands for computerized tomography. In this procedure, a thin X-ray beam is rotated around the area of the body to be visualized. Using very complicated mathematical processes called algorithms, the computer is able to generate a 3-D image of a section through the body. CT scans are very detailed and provide excellent information for the physician.
An orbital CT scan is a procedure that uses computed tomography to examine the orbits (the eye sockets) and the globes (the eyes).
The amount of radiation in a CT scan is minimal. There may be some concern for nursing or pregnant women. However, the benefits of the scan generally outweigh any risk to the fetus or newborn. Ionizing radiation can cause DNA damage and mutations of the cells. So the ovaries in woman and the gonads in man (reproductive organs) are protected by lead sheets. This will reduce the radiation by half.
Please see the web pages for more details on CT scan and Orbit CT scan.