X-rays provide valuable information to help doctors, dentists, and other health care professionals diagnose or treat illnesses and injuries. X-ray imaging exams-commonly called X-rays for short-are medical tests that make images of bones, organs, and other parts inside your body. The technique factors used should be chosen based on the clinical indication, patient size, and anatomical area scanned, and the equipment should be properly maintained and tested. Medical imaging professionals should use techniques that are adjusted to administer the lowest radiation dose that yields an image quality adequate for diagnosis or intervention (such as radiation doses should be "As Low as Reasonably Achievable"). X-ray exams should be performed for children only when the child's physician believes they are necessary to answer the clinical question or to guide treatment. Whether grouped by age or by size, an X-ray image should always be adjusted to meet the needs of the specific type of pediatric patient receiving the exam. The FDA recommends that medical X-ray imaging exams, which include computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, and conventional X-rays, use the lowest radiation dose necessary, taking into account the size and age of the patient. Pediatric patients have a longer expected lifetime, putting them at higher risk of cancer from the effects of radiation exposure.Use of equipment and exposure settings designed for adults may result in excessive radiation exposure if used on smaller patients.Pediatric patients are more radiosensitive than adults (that is, the cancer risk per unit dose of ionizing radiation is higher).Still, efforts should be made to minimize risk by reducing unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation. The individual risk from X-ray imaging is small when compared to the benefits it can provide through helping with accurate diagnosis. For medical X-ray imaging, the pediatric patient's size is even more important to consider than age, because patient size determines how much radiation is needed to produce a quality medical image. Typically, these are broken down into different groups based on age ranges (neonates, infants, children, and adolescents). The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) defines pediatric patients as persons aged 21 or younger at the time of their diagnosis or treatment. Medical X-ray imaging has led to improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of numerous medical conditions in pediatric patients.
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