Obese Get Higher Doses of Radiation for X-Rays

"The image quality among obese patients is not sufficient unless something is done to adjust exposure upwards to deal with the problem," he noted. "That is a bottom line. But, of course, we're always trying to balance what's safe with what's needed. So certainly I think, when you have no other option but to increase dosage exposure, you do want to come back and monitor these patients and see if their risk of cancer is any higher. Ultimately, that's the critical information needed to determine what dosages are, in fact, safe."

More information

The Radiological Society of North America has more on radiation exposure in X-rays.