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26 May 2013

Answer to Question #2970 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Radiation Effects — Medical and Dental Radiation

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

My question is regarding my three-year-old daughter. She recently had surgery to reimplant her ureters. In a 12-month time frame she had four VCUGs (voiding cystourethrograms). I am extremely worried about her radiation exposure. Could you please tell me about how much radiation she could have gotten? Every time they repeated the tests I reminded them how many she had already had. They never seemed to worry about it. I have heard there is a test that they can do in place of the VCUG but they never offered it.

The radiation exposure from a VCUG is greater than that from many diagnostic x-ray procedures, but also much less than that from many others. I know of no reports of ill effects from these exams. Further, all expert bodies and responsible authorities recommend that medically justified x-ray examinations be performed without regard to radiation risk. The potential benefit is so great. Estimated radiation risk ranges from very small to zero.

Conclusion: The medical benefits from your daughter's exposures clearly outweigh any potential risk.

S. Julian Gibbs, PhD, DDS

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