Radiation?

[Jenn218]

Hi everyone....I had a quick question.

I have been having a lot of tests done and was curious as if any would affect Mojo.

I have had two scans (where they inject you with a small amount of radiation)....the first one, the tech said not to hold babies or Mojo for a day or two......the second one, the tech (when I asked if it was the same as before), said that she "didn't" think there would be a problem at all. Of course, I didn't take the chance....even though it is hard not to play with him and hold him!!

Has anyone had experiences like this or know what is the best to do?

I had a catscan (sp) today, but there was no radiation, etc.

Just curious............

[lilbumbleybees]

hmmm, no clue, but I'd be very curious to find out about that.

[troubletb]

Did you have a hida scan?? Where they inject some radioactive material into your veins and then do some kind of scan??? I'm having that for gall bladder problems.

[Patti]

i don't know but when the vet was talking to me about a test for Cali at a university vet clinic they said that I would ahve to leave her for 2 days because they but radioactive dye in her and I couldn't take her until it was out of her system.

[Jenn218]

Patti - Mojo had some sort of dye injected when he had x-rays, etc. when is was very sick with stomache problems in early January, but I brought him home that day. He did pooped out the dye for awhile....yuck!

Karen - the first two scans were for my thyroid....and the radiation was a pill. They use to inject it with a needle, but I guess the pill is safer and easier. Now for the catscan, I was injected through an IV with some sort of dye, but they didn't mention anything about it.

I was just curious because for the same procedure, I was given two different answers. I honestly do not think it was much, but I didn't want to take the chance. I think if I have to do more testing, I am going to talk with the vet. Going without holding and playing with Mojo was killing me!!!

[SnowWa]

I worked and was a supervisor in Radiology for more than 15 years - and my husband was a Radiologist.

I can see that there are many misconceptions about different procedures and radiation fears.

Regular X-rays emit radiation.
CT scans also emit radiation.
MRIs do not.

Any radiation you receive during a procedure cannot be transmitted to another person or animal.

If you are pregnant - and you have your foot, neck, hand, head, etc. x-rayed, the radiation goes only to those particular areas. There is some "scattered radiation," which is almost nothing and cannot harm a fetus.

If you need to have your pelvis or abdomen, etc. x-rayed while you are pregnant, the amount of radiation you receive during these procedures will not hurt the fetus. Nevertheless, x-ray (radiation) is avoided, whenever possible, if a woman is pregnant.

You need not worry about carrying any radiation to other people or animals after any of the above procedures.

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Radioactive contrast materials are used for many procedures. These are usually given intravenously and cause different areas of your body to show up better on images. This agent dissipates quickly from your system - and even prior to its being gone - can cause no problems for you or anyone else.

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The amounts of radiation used for all the above procedures and other special procedures is very highly regulated and meets stringent standards. Today's tests with more advanced equipment and techniques use far less radiation than was used years ago. I think some of the "old fears" still hang around today - but are no longer applicable.

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Hate to admit it - but I'm afraid that some of the misinformation some of you have received is from x-ray technicians (or other office employees) who are just trying to "be safe rather than sorry." A doctor (radiologist) certainly shouldn't have led you to worry about any radiation exposure to anyone else or your pets following any of the above procedures.

***** With the thousands of x-rays, CT scans, angiograms, and MRIs that I have assisted in - we have never advised anyone to stay away from other people or animals following the procedure.

Carol Jean

[Jenn218]

Thanks.......it was just odd to have two same procedures done and have the ones doing the procedures tell me something different.

BUT, if that is the case, why do they not allow children beyond a certain point when you go back there??? One procedure, my mother-in-law went back there with me and sat in the chairs in the same room - the one doing this test, is the one who told me not to hold babies, pets, etc. The other time, I had a 12 year old with me and they couldn't go back there....it was the same room & same test, but different person doing the test - And it was this person that said not to worry about the radiation level.

I was told that most of these procedures are just a small dosage that you pretty much get the same amount or alittle more in airports. Don't know...that was what I was told at one time.

Thanks for all the input..........I will still ask my vet if I have to have anything else done. ----just to be safe!

[Laura]

I remember my niece was advised to stay away from babies and pets after a radiation therapy she had after thyroid cancer. I do think they kept her in the hospital for 24 hours. It was also a pill. It's been a few years now and I can't really remember many details. Sometimes better safe than sorry. I hope all is well

[SnowWa]

Me again -

Only the person(s) taking an x-ray or doing procedures should be in the room when a patient is being exposed to radiation.

There is a small amount of "scattered radiation" given off when any x-rays or other procedures are done. This, in itself. is harmless. But, radiation is an accumulative thing and can build up over time. It is common practice to keep people out of any area where procedures are being done or films are being taken - other than the doctor or people doing the study.

Radiologists and radiology technicians are around radiation every day all day(often for years), so it is necessary that they take precautions that you and I would never need to take. You may notice that they are often wearing lead aprons or shields - to reduce their radiation exposure. And, they also wear badges that measure the amount of radiation they are exposed to - and these badges are read every month or so. However, working in radiology for years, I have never seen one of these badges measure a harmful amount. This is just a precaution.

Radiation exposure is an interesting thing. When I say it is accumulative - this is only when the same area is repeatedly x-rayed. If you have a chest
x-ray and a few months later a foot x-ray - these are totally separate areas being x-rayed and one has no effect on the other.

But at the same time - many sick or injured people in the hospital (cancers, car accidents, illnesses, etc) have dozens and dozens of x-rays - often the same areas - and I have never heard of any problems from having this many studies done on the same area. Many people in the hospital need several chest x-rays a day.

For a while years ago, x-ray technicians were found to have developed colon cancer after years of x-ray exposure. Most of these people worked years ago when x-rays were not as refined as they are now - lead aprons were not worn - and badges were not worn - these people often spent 20 to 30 years working around radiation. This no longer happens. First of all, x-rays themselves are much safer, and better precautions are taken.

Again - it wouldn't hurt a person to be in the room when you have a chest
x-ray or other procedure done, but it is just common practice to avoid exposing anyone to unnecessary radiation. This just isn't done. That's the rule!!!

And - having worked in hospitals and medical offices for decades, I can't tell you how many times I have heard employees give patients incorrect information. It's true when we say that sometimes "knowing a little medicine is worse than knowing none at all."

But - if someone tells you to be careful about something - even though it may not really be necessary - it never hurts to do that.

I am sure none of us need to worry about x-rays, other procedures, and radiation, but we still need to follow whatever precautions we have been advised to take.

**** To be fair, there may be some new contrast medias or other materials used in imaging studies that I am not aware of - where they might be telling you to stay away from pets or babies for a day or so. I am sure though that this would only be a precaution and not a serious danger.

Good luck!

Carol Jean

[whispersmom2]

Thanx for this info. I, and others, have been criticized for having our preg moms Xrayed to get the very important info not possible any other way. This helps back up what we had learned. Thank you!!!!!

[Laura]

I didn't think she was speaking of X-ray but radiation treatment of the thyroid, which my niece had a similar occurrence. See below:

http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyroidca.html

About 4-6 weeks after the thyroid has been removed, the patient will undergo radioactive iodine treatment. This is very simple and consists of taking a single pill. The pill will contain the radioactive iodine in the dose that has been calculated for that individual. The patient goes home, avoids contact with other people for a couple of days (so they are not exposed to the radioactive materials), and that's it.

[Jenn218]

Thank you....that is what I am talking about. I was also told with my scan (where you take a pill, come back late that same day)....this was another one that I was not to have contact with babies/pets.....

Didn't want to post again...felt I was getting the same info. and going nowhere, but it doesn't matter, because I was told once not to hold babies/pets and once is enough.....I would rather be safe than sorry...........

Thanks to all that posted.

[Laura]

Originally Posted by Jenn218

Thank you....that is what I am talking about. I was also told with my scan (where you take a pill, come back late that same day)....this was another one that I was not to have contact with babies/pets.....

Didn't want to post again...felt I was getting the same info. and going nowhere, but it doesn't matter, because I was told once not to hold babies/pets and once is enough.....I would rather be safe than sorry...........

Thanks to all that posted.

I thought that was what you meant and they just misunderstood. I don't think x-ray's are particularly harmful, but I did remember that particular instance when my niece had thyroid cancer. I hope everything is alright with you