If your child is to have this test performed, it may be helpful to explain how the test will feel, and even practice or demonstrate on a doll. The more familiar your child is with what will happen to them and why, the less anxiety he or she will feel. Since the entire body is being evaluated, the test usually takes an hour or more. 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 of the X-ray . A protective shield may be worn over areas not being scanned. It is often used in children where abuse is suspected. The X-ray shows normal structures for the age of the patient. This is an illustration of the skeletal system.