What are the risks of an x ray

X rays expose the patient to a minimum amount of radiation. We are exposed to radiation from natural sources all the time. The average person in the U.S. receives an effective dose of about 3 mSv per year from naturally occurring radioactive materials and cosmic radiation from outer space. These natural background doses vary throughout the country. The radiation exposure from one chest x ray as equivalent to the amount of radiation exposure one experiences from our natural surroundings in 10 days. Thus X rays are quite safe when used with care. However X rays should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid radiation to the fetus.