{"chart":"radiation-dose-chart","generatedFrom":"All Unit Conversions shared conversion library","tables":[{"title":"Medical imaging: typical adult effective doses (RadiologyInfo, US)","headers":["Exam","Effective dose","mrem","Comparable natural background","Chest X-ray equivalents"],"rows":[["Extremity X-ray (hand, foot)","< 0.001 mSv","< 0.1","< 3 hours","< 0.01"],["Bone densitometry (DEXA)","0.001 mSv","0.1","3 hours","0.01"],["Dental X-ray (intraoral)","0.005 mSv","0.5","15 hours","0.05"],["Panoramic dental X-ray","0.025 mSv","2.5","3 days","0.25"],["Chest X-ray","0.1 mSv","10","12 days","1"],["Dental cone beam CT","0.18 mSv","18","22 days","1.8"],["Screening digital mammography","0.28 mSv","28","34 days","2.8"],["Breast tomosynthesis (3D mammogram)","0.34 mSv","34","41 days","3.4"],["CT head and neck","1.2 mSv","120","4.8 months","12"],["Lumbar spine X-ray","1.4 mSv","140","5.6 months","14"],["CT lung cancer screening","1.5 mSv","150","6 months","15"],["CT brain","1.6 mSv","160","6.4 months","16"],["Cardiac CT for calcium scoring","1.7 mSv","170","6.8 months","17"],["Intravenous urography (IVU)","3 mSv","300","1 year","30"],["CT brain, with and without contrast","3.2 mSv","320","1.1 years","32"],["Non-cardiac CT angiography","5.1 mSv","510","1.7 years","51"],["CT colonography","6 mSv","600","2 years","60"],["Barium enema (lower GI X-ray)","6 mSv","600","2 years","60"],["Upper GI study with barium","6 mSv","600","2 years","60"],["CT chest","6.1 mSv","610","2 years","61"],["CT abdomen and pelvis","7.7 mSv","770","2.6 years","77"],["Coronary CT angiography","8.7 mSv","870","2.9 years","87"],["CT spine","8.8 mSv","880","2.9 years","88"],["CT abdomen and pelvis, with and without contrast","15.4 mSv","1,540","5.1 years","150"],["PET/CT, whole body","22.7 mSv","2,270","7.6 years","230"]]},{"title":"Everyday sources and reference doses (UKHSA, UK)","headers":["Source of exposure","Dose","mrem","Equivalent UK background","Chest X-ray equivalents"],"rows":[["Dental X-ray","0.005 mSv","0.5","17 hours","0.36"],["100 g of Brazil nuts","0.01 mSv","1","1.4 days","0.71"],["Chest X-ray","0.014 mSv","1.4","2 days","1"],["Transatlantic flight","0.08 mSv","8","11 days","5.7"],["Nuclear power station worker, average annual occupational dose (2010)","0.18 mSv","18","25 days","13"],["UK annual average radon dose","1.3 mSv","130","6 months","93"],["CT scan of the head","1.4 mSv","140","6.5 months","100"],["UK average annual radiation dose","2.6 mSv","260","1 year","190"],["USA average annual radiation dose","6.2 mSv","620","2.4 years","440"],["CT scan of the chest","6.6 mSv","660","2.5 years","470"],["Average annual radon dose to people in Cornwall","6.9 mSv","690","2.7 years","490"],["CT scan of the whole spine","10 mSv","1,000","3.8 years","710"],["Annual exposure limit for nuclear industry employees","20 mSv","2,000","7.7 years","1,400"],["Level at which changes in blood cells can be readily observed","100 mSv","10,000","—","—"],["Acute radiation effects, including nausea and a reduced white blood cell count","1,000 mSv","100,000","—","—"],["Dose that would kill about half of those receiving it within a month","5,000 mSv","500,000","—","—"]]},{"title":"Reading these numbers","headers":["Point","Why it matters"],"rows":[["Compare within one table","Published typical doses differ between countries and sources (a chest X-ray is 0.1 mSv in the US table and 0.014 mSv in the UK table). Compare exams using the same table."],["Effective dose","A radiation-protection quantity for comparing exposures, not an exact measure of one person’s risk."],["Children and pregnancy","Doses for children differ from adult values. Tell the radiographer if you are or may be pregnant."],["Your own exam","This chart is for education, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or radiographer about the benefit and dose of a specific exam."]]}]}