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If A 150 Pound Man Gets A Bilateral Hip Series

Posted on Tue, 14 Jan 2020

Question: If a 150 pound man gets a bilateral hip series x ray ( pictures of both hips and a shot of the pelvis ) using the same technique( output on machine) as a 250 pound man could the 150 pound man's dose reach 50 mSv?

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Can't be 50 msv.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, welcome Ask a doctor's service.
I read your query and here is my advice.

People with increased BMI may need an increased dosage of radiation than those with a low BMI.
For every kilogram is needed an increase of 0.13 msv so for 45 kilograms the amount increased is 5.8msv. It is a significant amount but can't reach 50 msv.

Hope I have answered the question.
Let me know if I can assist you further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)

And just to clarify I was referring to x Ray's of bilateral ( both hips and the pelvis) that was understood correct ?

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (8 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Lower than 5.8 msv.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again
I was referring to the excess exposure by CT scan radiation to a 250 pounds person compared to 150 pounds person.
The bilateral x-ray of hips has significant lower radiation exposure than CT scan so this amount is lower than 5.8 msv.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)

What I meant to ask is, if a 150 pound person receives a dose required for a 250 pound person , would the 150 pound person receive about 50 mSv. ( If the 150 pound person received a dose required for a 250 pound person could they receive 50 mSv because they are smaller but received a dose needed for a larger person )

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
The excess dosage can't be 50 msv.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.
I understand it correctly so if a person of 150 pounds receives a dosage of radiation required for a person of 250 pounds it can't receive 50 msv.
The excess dosage received is lower than 5.8 msv.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (8 hours later)

One last question for now. Since the 250 pound person will receive an excess dose of 5.8 mSv due to higher setting , then wouldn't the 150 pou d person receive higher than the 250 pound person at the same technique from machine ?

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (25 minutes later)

I meant if the 150 pound person and 250 pound person recieve the same output from the machine would the 150 pound person receive a higher dose than the 250 pound person ?

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (34 minutes later)

Never mind I understand , thank you for your answers , you can disregard last two questions thank you.

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You are welcome.

Detailed Answer:
I meant a person of 150 pounds receives a dosage of less than 5.8msv if given a radiaton equal as required for a 250 pounds person.
You are welcome.
Wishing you good health.
Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (3 days later)

On a 150 pound patient if the mAs from an xray is increased to 50 from 35 can that additional exposure result in 10 mSv?

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Can't increase exposure to 10 msv.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again.
I don't think that increasing the mAs from a x-ray to 50 mAs from 35 that a x-ray normally uses can increase exposure to 10 msv.
A lumbar spine x-ray that you recently did increases exposure to a maximum of 1.8 msv and increasing the radiation with 15 more mAs can increase exposure to about 0.6 msv and can't reach 10 msv in total.
So as a conclusion using 50 mAs instead of 35 mAs for sale x-ray can't increase exposure to 10 msv.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (5 hours later)

And if two people a hundred pounds difference recieve the same mAs they also recieve the same dose? The smaller one wouldn't get more because bones absorb x Ray's? The two people would get the same ?

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
See detailed answers below.

Detailed Answer:
So if two different weight people is give a certain amount of mAs they will receive the same msv fom it.
The smaller one will not receive more.
Obese patients may need to received much higher doses of radiation during x-ray than normal weight people, which is necessary due to the increased amount of tissue to be imaged.
This is how obese people can get more msv and is not much related to that 'bones absorb x-ray rays' as you have said.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana

Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (10 hours later)

Bones do absorb x Ray's though right ?

Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Bones absorb more x-rays than other tissues.

Detailed Answer:
All organs and tissues can absorb x-rays but it can vary depending on the type of tissues.
Bones absorb x-rays more than other issues which make them pass through them.

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T