Nuclear Medicine

Collage of three images. The first image shows two nuclear medicine technologists. The second image features a member of staff preparing a patient for their scan. The third image shows a scan being reviewed.

Radiation exposure and the risks

Will I be exposed to radiation?

 

We are all exposed to natural background radiation every day. This comes from the ground, building materials around us, the food we eat and the sun. Each nuclear medicine scan will give you a small extra radiation dose on top of the usual background exposure. The amount depends on the type of scan you are having and ranges from the equivalent of a few days natural background radiation to a few years. 

The radiation doses used for nuclear medicine scans are many hundreds or thousands of times too low to produce immediate harmful effects, such as skin burns or radiation sickness. The only effect known to be possible from these low doses, is a very small increase in the chance of cancer occurring many years or even decades after the exposure. This is in addition to the one in two chance we all have of getting cancer in our life time. 

If you have been asked to have a nuclear medicine scan, further information will be provided to you in a very detailed patient information leaflet that will be sent to you with your appointment letter.

What are the risks?

 

Your doctor weighs up the risks and benefits of having the scan before making a referral for a Nuclear Medicine test. They believe that the benefits of having this scan outweigh any possible small risks from the radiation. The Nuclear Medicine Department has a legal obligation to ensure that the radiation dose to you and others in contact with you is kept as low as possible. We therefore advise the following:

 

  • You should keep an arm’s length distance from young children (five years old or under) and anyone who may be pregnant for the remainder of the day.

 

  • Increase your fluid intake for the rest of the day as it helps to flush the injection from your body much quicker. 

 

If you have any concerns or are unable to comply with these restrictions please contact the department.

Please see the table below for some examples:

 

 

Investigation

Radiation dose (mSv)

Lifetime additional risk of cancer per examination

Dental X ray

0.005

1 in 4 000 000

Chest X ray

0.014

1 in 1 400 000

Mag3 Kidney Scan

0.7

1 in 250 000

UK average annual radiation dose

2.7

1 in 28 000

DMSA Renal Scan

0.7

1 in 28,000

CT scan of the Chest

6.6

1 in 7000

DaTscan

4.6

1 in 4,300

CT scan of the Spine

10.0

1 in 3000

Bone Scan

6.4 + 4.6

1 in 1,700