Radiation Exposure

[MEG@COOL]

Recently I have been shadowing radiologists as well as xray techs(to see how the actual machines work). In the ER xray room there is a developing machine that they sometimes have me and others stand behind as a shield for the lower half of my body. Would a machine like this actually shield radiation or am I being exposed to unhealthy radiation? Maybe I am paranoid, but I have worried about this. Thanks.

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[doepug]

Even for IR, the risk is very, very small... essentially negligible.

On the contrary, recent data strongly suggest a high risk of posterior subcapsular cataracts in interventional radiologists! This will be the topic of a special focus session of this year's RSNA, more info available in the June 2004 issue of RSNA News.