Some risks are greater than others.
If you receive a chest X-ray (0.1 mSv dose of radiation), your risk of dying from cancer is about 1 in a million. The same risk results from smoking 1.4 cigarettes or eating 40 tablespoons of peanut butter.
If you do not receive an X-ray procedure that you need, your risks can include a missed diagnosis, treatment that begins too late to improve your medical condition or a shorter life expectancy.