People have often questioned whether getting an Xray or MRI can expose you to radiation and thus, heighten risk for cancer…We’ve found a resource that may help explain:
Will I be exposed to radiation if I have an MRI?
No. You will not receive any ionizing radiation. In non-technical terms, ionizing radiation means radiation that is capable of altering chemical compounds. – In this case the chemicals that make up your body or DNA. Mostly we’re worried about radiation that could potentially alter our DNA If radiation cannot change DNA then there is no accepted scientific evidence that it can cause cancer. During a clinical MRI examination you will not receive radiation that is capable of damaging or altering the chemical structure of your DNA.
X-rays, on the other hand, are capable of damaging DNA. Fortunately, this is very rare. Moreover, a healthy cell can generally repair damage done by ionizing radiation without becoming cancerous. Interestingly, cancer cells, don’t repair damage from radiation well and tend to die — this is how Radiation Therapy is successful in treating cancer!
