Biological Effects of Radiation Used in Imaging (3): Risks

Excess Risks of Mortality from Solid Cancer in Human

• Dose >100 mSv
• Dose 50-100 mSv
  
• Dose 10-50 mSv (i.e. to lung or breast in retrospective-ECG-gated cardiac CT, pediatric abdominal CT)
• Unclear risk if dose <10>

Natural effective dose of radiation received by general population = 3-4 mSv per year

Radiation risks

• Negligible (<0.1>
• Extremely low (0.1 - 1 mSv) - abdomen radiograph, lumbar spine radiograph
• Very low (1-10 mSv) - head CT, chest CT, abdomen CT (adult)
• Low (10-100 mSv) - multiphase CT
• Moderate (>100 mSv) - interventional procedures, repeat CT

Reference:
Verdun FR. Radiation risk: what you should know to tell your patients. Radiographics 2008 (September).