Death via X - Ray Machine??

Question

Just a silly question but it interests me.

If I was to lay under an X - Ray machine set up for a chest X - Ray, and it was turned on and left on continuiously so I had X- Rays pumping through me all the time, how long would it be until I began to feel something - would it get warm?? How long would it take me to die and get a lethal dose?

Answer 1

Leowin1948 - please dont answer questions you dont understand - X rays are still a highly valuable imaging technique and are far far better than MRI for imaging bones PLUS there are well established lethal doses - god some people are thick.

Anyway, the lethal dose for human exposure on average is 250 REM

You would feel perhaps some warmth with prolonged irradiation.

Answer 2

Plainly depends on output of the X-ray machine.

It seems a typical chest X-ray is 0.1 mSv .. 10 mSv = 1 rem, so 100 chest X-rays = 1 rem.

Assuming above is correct, to reach 250 rem will require 25,000 chest X-rays ...

IF (a VERY BIG IT) the X-ray machine could cycle at 1 second intervals (unlikely), it would take 25,000 seconds = approx 7 hours .. (by then the machine would either be on fire or have blown every fuse in the place :-) )

Answer 3

That's a fab question, and a perfectly reasonable one to ask. However, your first answer is wrong and I agree with the answer posted directly above mine.

X-Ray sets are pretty carefully designed such that they are difficult to leave on, though there are reported cases of the automatic shut off failing. By and large, there are inbuilt fail safe devices that turns the power off if anything goes wrong. Most in clinical use would overheat and burn out if left on. (The 'heat capacity'). Some Computed tomography X-Ray generators are able to put out more rays (by virtue of the heavy duty cooling systems), but as soon as the power is cut (and these things use a *lot*), no more X-rays come out.

I think it is reasonable to assume that you would feel a heating effect, especially as one of the major effects of radiation is dose to the skin. I don't think you would die immediately though, you'd get very severe radiation poisoning first, though that could finish you off fairly quickly. You'd shed the lining of your gut, get skin burns and your bone marrow would be destroyed leaving you with no immune system. I'm not sure what would get you first, probably fluid loss and dehydration from the burns I should think.

Answer 4

Do not give your dog any human medication. The only one that is safe for dog's is buffered aspirin, but aspirin thins the blood. Since you don't know the extent of the injury, it is best not to risk it. If it were my dog, I would wait until morning. I would keep the dog in a crate to restrict movement, and keep any cuts clean with soap & water. That's it. I know you are concerned, but you don't want to make matters worse with good intentions. Waiting does pose a risk that additional treatment will be needed that could have been avoided with prompt action. On the flip side, emergency vets cost about double for all services. You have to weigh the risks with the benefits. In my personal experience, if there are no secondary symptoms, waiting shoul be ok. If the dog won't eat, drink, or go to the bathroom normally, an emergency vet visit is warranted.

Answer 5

X-Rays are harmful to health.Occasional X ray image may be ok.But the effect of prolonged exposure to X ray results in harm not only to patient ,but transmitted to even future generation.Most of the countries/hospitals have discontinued X ray machines and replaced with harmless ultrasonic scan.MRI etc.But X ray is a poor man's diagnositic aid and popular in third world countries.
There is no data available as to how much Xray exposure will result in death.
It is still useful in detection fracture etc at a low cost.