Benefits and Risks of Medical Imaging

There are many benefits for patients from medical imaging. Images of the human body are created using a variety of means such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance, nuclear medicine and X-rays to allow physicians to see inside the body, to identify and/or rule out medical problems, and to diagnose diseases. Much has recently been written about radiation, so it is important to have some understanding of imaging performed using radiation, especially the benefits to the patient along with the associated risks.

Keep in mind that the radiation doses used in medical radiological imaging examinations like computed tomography (CT) and X-ray scans are much lower than those used in radiation oncology, which uses radiation as a therapy to treat cancer. Radiology (imaging) and radiotherapy (cancer treatment) are quite different.

We invite you to learn about what we do to ensure your safety when we make images of your body in the UCSF Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging.