What's New?
.	NRC Chairman Resigns
.	NAS Report on Future Workforce Needs
.	Hodes Award Nominations Request
.	Radiation Risks and Protective Actions
.	June Journal
.	IAEA Conference - Rad Protection in Medicine
.	HPS Mentoring Program Update
.	New Low-Level Waste Site Operational
.	May Newsletter
.	America's Nuclear Future Report

Upcoming Events
.	Canadian Radiation Protection Association Annual Meeting 27-30 May 2012 Halifax, Nova Scotia
.	ACS Undergrad Summer Schools 10 June - 20 July 2012
.	NRC Meeting Webcasts May-June 2012
.	57th Annual HPS Meeting 22-26 July 2012 Sacramento, CA
.	37th Annual Conference of the Australasian Radiation Protection Society (ARPS) 14-17 Oct 2012 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour
.	International Conference on Radiation Shielding 2-7 Nov 2012 Nara, Japan

24 May 2012

Answer to Question #3796 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Radiation Effects — Effects on Tissues and Organs

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

I had a computerized tomography (CT) scan of the sinuses. I think I may be three weeks pregnant but no lead sheet was used. If I am pregnant, will the fetus be okay?

One major advantage of CT is that the x-ray beam is tightly confined to the area being examined. Dose to the remainder of the body comes from scattered x rays, whose intensity is on the order of 0.1% or less of that in the primary beam. Thus, the dose to your pelvic region was immeasurably small. Further, these scattered x rays arose from interaction of the primary x-ray beam with tissues in your head. Thus, they were scattered from points within your head in all directions, including toward your feet within your body. There were no additional x rays striking your lower body from outside. A leaded apron or sheet covering you would have provided no benefit.

S. Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD

Answer posted on 26 May 2004. The information and material posted on this website is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Website. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.