Skip to main content

Quick menu

  • Patient Portal
  • About
    • About Overlake
    • History
    • Leadership
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Newsroom
    • Volunteer
    • Community Benefit
  • Careers
  • Contact
Home

Main menu

  • Services & Programs
    • Featured Services
      • Lottie file
        Cancer Care
      • Lottie file
        Childbirth & Maternity Care
      • Lottie file
        Digestive Health
      • Lottie file
        Heart & Vascular
      • Lottie file
        Neurosciences
      • Lottie file
        Orthopedics
      • Lottie file
        Primary Care
      • Lottie file
        Concierge Care
        Patient Membership Program
    • All Services & Programs
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes & Endocrinology
      • Ear, Nose & Throat
      • Emergency Care
      • Eye Care
      • Infectious Disease
      • Kidney (Nephrology)
      • Laboratory & Pathology
      • Lung (Pulmonology)
      • Medical Imaging
      • Mental & Behavioral Health
      • Nutrition Services
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology
      • Palliative Care
      • Pelvic Health
      • Pharmacy
      • Rehabilitation Care
      • Rheumatology
      • Senior Health
      • Sleep Medicine
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urgent Care
      • Urology
      • Weight Loss Services
      • All Services & Programs
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Hospital & Clinic Information
      • Campus Map & Parking
      • Amenities
      • Spiritual Care
      • Interpreter & Deaf Services
    • Patients
      • Patient Information
      • Patient Portal
      • Billing & Insurance
      • Medical Records
    • Visitors
      • Visitor Information
      • Waiting Areas
      • Lodging
      • Visitor Notice
  • Health Education
    • Classes & Events
    • Healthy Outlook
    • Senior Resources
  • Doctors
  • Locations
  • Give
    • Make a Gift
    • Ways to Give
    • Overlake Foundation
Overlake Medical Center

Main menu - Mobile

  • Services & Programs
    • Featured Services
      • Image
        Cancer Care
        Cancer Care
      • Image
        Childbirth Infant Care
        Childbirth & Maternity Care
      • Image
        Digestive Health
        Digestive Health
      • Image
        Heart & Vascular
        Heart & Vascular
      • Image
        Neurosciences
        Neurosciences
      • Image
        Orthopedics
        Orthopedics
      • Image
        Primary Care
        Primary Care
      • Image
        Concierge Care
        Concierge Care
    • All Services & Programs
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes & Endocrinology
      • Ear, Nose & Throat
      • Emergency Care
      • Eye Care
      • Infectious Disease
      • Kidney (Nephrology)
      • Laboratory & Pathology
      • Lung (Pulmonology)
      • Medical Imaging
      • Mental & Behavioral Health
      • Nutrition Services
      • Obstetrics & Gynecology
      • Palliative Care
      • Pelvic Health
      • Pharmacy
      • Rehabilitation Care
      • Rheumatology
      • Senior Health
      • Sleep Medicine
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Urgent Care
      • Urology
      • Weight Loss Services
      • All Services & Programs
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Hospital & Clinic Information
      • Campus Map & Parking
      • Amenities
      • Spiritual Care
      • Interpreter & Deaf Services
    • Patients
      • Patient Information
      • Patient Portal
      • Billing & Insurance
      • Medical Records
    • Visitors
      • Visitor Information
      • Waiting Areas
      • Lodging
      • Visitor Notice
  • Health Education
    • Classes & Events
    • Healthy Outlook
    • Senior Resources
  • Doctors
  • Locations
  • Give
    • Make a Gift
    • Ways to Give
    • Overlake Foundation

Quick menu - Mobile

  • Patient Portal
  • About
    • About Overlake
    • History
    • Leadership
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Newsroom
    • Volunteer
    • Community Benefit
  • Careers
  • Contact

Radiation Safety

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Services
  3. Medical Imaging
print page Print share page Share

Share

Copy Link

At Overlake we regularly review patient radiation dosage data in an effort to continually improve patient safety. Members of the Overlake Patient Dose Review Committee — which includes physicists, radiologists, technologists and administrators — meet regularly to re-examine the protocols and establish optimal radiation levels for patients. Our tools for Radiation Awareness and Community Education program (TRACE) is one of the first to address radiation safety in the region. We are accredited by the American College of Radiology in computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine and ultrasound.

What is a Dose of Radiation?

Radiation isn't measured simply by quantity. Instead, it is measured more like sunlight exposure because radiation dose is corresponds to the length and intensity of exposure. In medical imaging, the amount of radiation received depends on such factors as the type of diagnostic test being performed, the size of the patient and the part of the body being examined.

How is Radiation Dose Measured?

For patients, the most important way to measure radiation dose is termed "effective dose." This measures patient risk by assessing the long-term effects of radiation on body organs and tissue. Effective dose is most often expressed in milliSieverts (mSv).

Ionizing radiation is used daily in hospitals and clinics as part of X-ray, nuclear medicine, and computed tomography (CT) diagnostic imaging procedures. These imaging procedures provide important information to your doctor about your health and help ensure that you receive appropriate care. Physicians and technologists performing these procedures are trained to use the minimal amount of radiation necessary. 

What Does Radiation Risk Mean?

Risk level means the approximate lifetime risk of fatal cancer for an adult as the result of radiation exposure. Risk level is further defined as follows:

  • Negligible: <1 in 1,000,000
  • Minimal: 1 in 1,000,000 to 1 in 100,000
  • Very Low: 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 10,000
  • Low: 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1,000
  • Moderate: 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 500 

How is Radiation Risk Calculated? 

Radiation risk is calculated by comparing the radiation from a diagnostic test to everyday background radiation we receive from the environment, or by comparing diagnostic radiation to the radiation we receive when flying in a plane.

We are constantly being exposed to natural radiation from the environment and space. For example, you receive the same amount of radiation exposure in a four-hour airplane flight as you receive when a X-ray is taken of your chest. In addition, this is the same amount of radiation you would be exposed to naturally in the environment over a period of 10 days living in the Seattle area or in only four days living in a higher elevation city such as Denver, Colorado. 

Does Radiation Risk Depend on Age?

Children are more susceptible to the effects of radiation because their cells are still growing and developing. However, radiation dose is dependent upon the size of the patient. A greater dose of radiation is needed to penetrate larger amounts of tissue and bone. As a result, for similar imaging procedures a child will usually be exposed to much less radiation than an adult.

How Will I Know How Much Radiation I've Received?

We are committed to helping our patients track their diagnostic radiation exposure. We will track, record, and report radiation dose for each exam, and when this is not possible, we will estimate the radiation dose received based on normal exam levels. This information will be recorded on your imaging examination report and provided to your referring physician. Also, an estimate of the amount of radiation you are expected to receive will be provided to you upon registration.

When considering the very small risk of harm from a medical imaging procedure the first question to ask is this: Will the benefits of the imaging procedure greatly outweigh the risks? The answer is almost always "yes."

Medical Imaging

  • Accreditation
  • Bone Density (DEXA)
  • Computed Tomography (CT)
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  • Mammography
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Patient Resources
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
  • Radiation Safety
  • Ultrasound
  • X-Ray (Radiography)
Subscribe to Healthy Outlook

Your privacy is important to us. Submission of this form is subject to our online privacy policy.

Overlake Medical Center & Clinics

1035 116th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Phone: (425) 688-5000

See All Locations

Footer Sitemap

  • Patient Resources
    • Doctors
    • Services & Programs
    • Billing & Insurance
    • Campus Map & Parking
    • Schedule an Appointment
    • Patient Portal
  • Giving
    • Ways to Give
    • Make a Gift
    • Overlake Foundation
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Volunteer
    • Community Benefit
    • Newsroom
    • Media Relations
  • Professional Resources
    • For Providers
    • For Employees
    • For Volunteers
  • Learn
    • Classes & Events
    • Healthy Outlook Blog
    • Health Library
  • Careers at Overlake
    • Careers
    • Applicant Portal
  • Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Youtube
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

Footer Sitemap

  • Patient Resources
    • Doctors
    • Services & Programs
    • Billing & Insurance
    • Campus Map & Parking
    • Schedule an Appointment
    • Patient Portal
  • Giving
    • Ways to Give
    • Make a Gift
    • Overlake Foundation
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Volunteer
    • Community Benefit
    • Newsroom
    • Media Relations
  • Professional Resources
    • For Providers
    • For Employees
    • For Volunteers
  • Learn
    • Classes & Events
    • Healthy Outlook Blog
    • Health Library
  • Careers at Overlake
    • Careers
    • Applicant Portal
  • Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Youtube
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

© 2023 Overlake Hospital Medical Center. All rights reserved.

Footer

  • Online Privacy Notice
  • Policies and Notices
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
  • Language Assistance Policy