Question About X-Ray Scans Please? Radiologists Definetly Read

Hi everybody, have not been in this forum for some time. I have what I believe is a genuine concern about my privacy and possible health resulting from a recent radiology scan.

I fractured my right femur in February during an automotive accident. It was actually more rough than only a broken leg and it was a miracle of God that I actually survived and am close to 100% recovery. A titanium rod was implanted into my leg (I was not concious to give consent, did not know until after I woke). But enough about the accident let me get on with the matter at hand.

I went This past Tuesday the 17th to have my final follow-up to so they coudl clear me for work. When I walked in for the exam, the radiologist, an older gentleman, asked me to pull down my pants and get on the table. I quickly said what? He quickly replied I have to get a shot of the affected area. I was only wearing jeans pants, and this is the same man that took my scan last time, (this is a small specialty facility run by the Tampa General Hospital) probably the only radiologist. I simply cooperated to get out of there. This where it got wierd, he positioned the device precisley centered over my groin area (this is not where my fracture was, or any damage for that matter). My mind was pre-occupied with returning to work at the time, so I was not thinking too deeply into this. He took one scan and immediatley left the room to check the scan.

When he came back in, he then re-positioned the device over my leg exactly where the fracture was, like he did when I came in orignally in March for my first follow up scan. I just thought this seemed quite odd now, as in why the hell did he need to scan right over my genital area. When I finally went in to see the physician, which instead of an actual doctor this time it appeared to be a male nurse/orderly to talk to me about it (last time was an actual orthopedic doctor). He brought up the scan, and to my shock the first scan he took was right on screen, along with a damn clear view of my penis. In fact you could barely even see the part where my fracture or the rod actually was.

The orderly quickly shifted to the next image in the series, which actually focused on my leg, which was revealed to be completely healed.

What am I worried about? I did not have a clear view of my penis in any of the original Hospital scans, nor the follow up scan. I was unaware such images can show up in an xray, I thought you just see bone. I feel honestly violated, and kind of am ready to storm in there this week and choke the old man out. Then I realized the situation may be even worse than I first realized?

I suddenly came to the realization that my testicles and penis were just directly exposed to a burst of these xrays with no shielding. I took an exray when i was a young child and a few years ago during another incidient to my foot. They used shielding both times in that area. Maybe the tech has advanced, but I was hoping to give my partner a daughter she has always wanted, and my mother always wanted a daughter too so I felt we would try for girl in a couple years when we are more financially stable to sort of make them both happy. Im the second of two sons and I have two sons.

If there is a chance that this could affect my fertility, I am really worried here.

Am I being over paranoid as far as the health consequences, and was this in fact an invasion of my privacy?

Please I dont know what to do.

reply to post by DYepes


it was up to you to open your mouth and question why and what took place. technicians will shoot what the Dr wants to see, whether it is tissue/cartilage/muscular, or more concentrated on bone density.

my guess is either the Dr wanted to make sure your pelvis area / socket is not experiencing unwanted wear or trauma ---or--- the first radiograph was an error. he may have looked at the wrong chart, for either the last or next patient and not for you.

medical professionals do not get their jollies taking radiographs of your junk.

as far as being exposed to x-rays, you've definitely come to the right website to have several people fill your head with crap and scare the heck out of you. fair warning. simply put: most everything in the field of medicine has side effects. you have to get an x-ray so a Dr can set your broken arm, for example. it allows them the 'vision' they need, but you get minimal exposure. thus, the unwanted side effect.

seriously, do not worry about this tiny bit of x-ray you were exposed to. you've probably done more damage in your youth during a good weekend of partying, believe me.

if you are uncomfortable with what took place, speak up and talk to people at the clinic/hospital. you have the right to answers. but please, don't threaten or grab anyone. and please don't let people freak you out about how incredibly life-changing horrible x-rays are. that is not true.

just an FYI: hospital ER's, clinics and Doc-in-the-Box's all have astonishing collections of fascinating x-rays from over the years due to the incredibly stupid things people will attempt and will do to themself and each other. you would have to be incredibly imaginative to provide them with an image that tops anything they haven't already seen. i kid you not. your winkie just isn't that fascinating.

I have to agree with LargeFries. One blast at your groin isn’t going to sterilize you, not by a long shot. Its not just bones that an xray can look at, they can alter the machine to take a picture of lots of things, xrays are used to look for lung cancer for example.

At the end of the day your crown jewels aren't very interesting to a healthcare professional. They see more pepees and vayjayjays in one month than you or I will in our entire lives.

reply to post by LargeFries


I'm a tech and the previous poster is right.
We have seen things that would make a lot of people faint or scream in horror.
All xrays must include the nearest joint, proximally and distally. They could not use any shield if the OP is referring to a CT, causes horrible streaking, and on a plain film, the shield could block the joint space. Orthopedics is serious stuff. If your leg is not set right, it can screw up your spine, knee, and hip. I had a patient once that had an injury that made him limp, next thing we knew, his hip joint started to become necrotic, and he had to have a hip replacement. They are just making sure your healing properly.
Don't worry about the radiation, you have rec'd more out in the sun than from your xray. Radiation has an accumulative effect. That's why it's bad to have xrays all the time, it adds up.
I'm sure you've heard about radiation treatment for cancer right? That's a huge dose, but people still live on and have normal children, my best friend did. Rest easy my friend, xray techs don't want to see anyones junk, we see way more than we EVER want to. Funny how people come in and loose all modesty. I'm offended every day by someone assuming I don't mind.
Happy healing

Well im glad there wont be any ramifications to my organs. All that Japan nuclear crisis stuff got me jittery to concentrated radiation stuff I suppose.

Im still gonna go yell at the old man though I think. He took too many shots the first time, ran a $3000 bill just for the scans to the insurance, and I feel that bloats the healthcare industry costs. Gonna tell him how unpatriotic that is and that he should be ashamed!!

a reply to: DYepes

I must admit I too just got the same shock. In less thsn 1 week between the hospital and ortho specialists I had 8 xrays of my hips and groin for psyiatic problems. Yes my meat and potatoes were visible to my astonishment, however I'm more concerned with my radiation exposure. I'm 40 and my wife and I have been trying to have a child. Our results have been disheartening to the point of seeking medical help soon. Now I'm even more scared that the xrays may have diminished our hopes further. If I did have a low speed count to begin with, could this have taken me out of the game?

originally posted by: Xraydjimmies
a reply to: DYepes

I must admit I too just got the same shock. In less thsn 1 week between the hospital and ortho specialists I had 8 xrays of my hips and groin for psyiatic problems. Yes my meat and potatoes were visible to my astonishment, however I'm more concerned with my radiation exposure. I'm 40 and my wife and I have been trying to have a child. Our results have been disheartening to the point of seeking medical help soon. Now I'm even more scared that the xrays may have diminished our hopes further. If I did have a low speed count to begin with, could this have taken me out of the game?

I'm not a health professional. But I suffered through my own sciatic nerve damage...

Are your disks severely damaged? What information did the Dr.'s give you as to the level of damage?
Did they line you up with physical therapy? Or just prescribe you get hooked on opiates; (numb the pain so you can aggravate the tissue further).

These are questions that don't require an answer from you...you can keep it to yourself.

In my own experience; I never sought medical help- I suffered for it and through it until I took to riding a bicycle.
I make it sound like there was nothing to it, just start peddling? It wasn't that easy, trust me. I would start with small rides to my mailbox and back...

In reality, it took about a month before I began feeling the pain in my leg subside.
I still ride my bicycle periodically just to exercise the muscles in my back.
It wasn't until I started feeling stronger that I was able to link it to riding my bicycle.


It's my bedtime now so I'll be back tomorrow. HGN