Skull x-ray

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

X-ray

Skull of an adult

Overview

Risks

Results

Skull x-ray

Alternative Names:

X-ray - head; X-ray - skull; Skull radiography; Head x-ray

What the risks are:

There is low radiation exposure. X-rays are monitored and regulated to provide the minimum amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image. Most experts feel that the risk is low compared with the benefits. Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks associated with x-rays.

Special considerations:

A CT scan of the head is often preferable to a skull x-ray to evaluate head injuries.

Review Date: 1/24/2005
Reviewed By: Jeffrey J. Brown, M.D., F.A.R.C., Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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