Children's Hospital LA Using New, High-Tech Imaging That Dramatically Cuts Down Radiation Exposure

EAST HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Doctors say exposure to radiation, especially as children, can increase one's cancer-risk.

But now a local hospital is using new, high-tech imaging that dramatically cuts down radiation.

"We're discovering more and more that as children have more radiation over a lifetime, the risk of cancer goes up." David Skaggs, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, said.

Hoping to cut down on that risk, Children's Hospital Los Angeles last month purchased a $600,000 3D X-ray system called the EOS.

The EOS uses 90-percent less radiation than the standard X-ray machine.

"Every moment that we're alive, we're getting a little bit of radiation from sunlight, from the universe. And the new EOS system has shrunk down X-ray exposures so much that in my mind it's almost meaningless," Dr. Skaggs said.

The risk of radiation exposure from the machine is so low in fact that when it's in use, the nurses and even family members don't have to leave the room.

CHLA is the only pediatric hospital in Los Angeles County that has the EOS.

Right now, it's being used on kids that require X-rays on a regular basis, like Aracely Rainey's 5-year-old son, who has severe scoliosis.

The hope is to expand its use to all orthopedic treatment.

"I just really want to be careful for him so that he can live a healthy life," said Rainey, whose son gets four X-rays a year and will continue to do so into his 20s.