The pregnant patient

Abstract

Pregnant patients often need radiological investigations to detect disorders of both obstetric and non-obstetric origin. There is considerable ignorance about the safety of these imaging modalities among patients and doctors. This often deters useful radiological tests, causing suboptimal radiological evaluation during pregnancy. While it is proven that all radiological texts except that involving high-dose ionizing radiation are safe for the foetus, it should be accepted that investigations should be conducted only when they are expected to provide some answers. Since ultrasonography and MRI are not associated with any risk whatsoever, they are the primary investigations of choice during pregnancy. If there is a need for CT scan, X-ray and nuclear imaging in addition, they should not be withheld because the radiation exposure is much less than what causes foetal harm. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Anirban Hom Choudhuri and Ashish Verma; individual chapters, the contributors.