The use of medical imaging has significantly increased in the last decades. Repeated exposure to X-rays or other radiation (as a result of X-rays, CT scans, and bone mapping) carries a certain risk, although information regarding tangible damage from imaging is very limited.
As there is no way to assess individual risk, the caution we take is mainly based on statistical data (e.g., the development of cancer growth in a population exposed to radiation). Digital images commonly used nowadays are usually taken with reduced radiation doses. However, due to their availability and quality, we use them more frequently.
Efforts should be made to minimize the radiation field in each image the child undergoes, including only the necessary organ. For example, in cases of Legg-Calve Perthes disease, we will try to capture only the affected hip joint without including the entire pelvis and covering the genital organs (testicles or ovaries) with a lead apron.
Parents can assist the medical team in reducing exposure:
A. Do not forget to bring copies of previous images when coming for a check-up to avoid repeated imaging.
B. Explain to the treating doctor that there is no need to take images "just to reassure you" - it is unnecessary (if you are already calm).
C. Computer-processed imaging, such as CT scans, involves hundreds of images, resulting in higher radiation exposure (although efforts are made to reduce it). CT scans are often performed to rule out rare problems that cannot be ruled out with monitoring, observation, and vigilance.
D. Not every follow-up (even after a fracture) requires imaging. In many cases, the doctor's examination will provide all the necessary information.
When there is a medical need for a CT scan in children, at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, the test is performed with the most advanced device in the country (Flash CT), allowing for the quickest and lowest radiation exposure possible, often without the need for anesthesia.