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Medical Scans Explained

size and the scale of the plastic pollution A Look Inside the Body CT scans also use X-ray
crisis in 2019, Kroger must do far more to
reduce its plastic footprint.” Have you ever had to get an X-ray, beams. But the beams rotate around
MRI, or other medical scan? Do you your entire body to create a 3D picture.
Greenpeace didn’t have much nice to These images contain more
Dear EarthTalk: How are American say about third place finisher Albertsons, know what these tests involve? Or what information than a regular X-ray. The
supermarket chains doing in regard to either, and is incensed that the company they can do? scan can be done in less than a minute.
cutting back on single-use plastics? participates in Hefty’s EnergyBag Medical scans help doctors diagnose That makes it especially useful in
— B. Weston, Jacksonville, FL Program whereby non-recyclable plastics everything from head trauma to foot
are incinerated or turned back into fossil pain. There are many different types of places like the emergency department.
Not very well, if you ask Greenpeace. The fuels. “Plastic incineration in any form imaging technologies. Each works There, doctors need to know
activist group compares 20 U.S. grocery threatens human health and the climate,” immediately if a patient has a life-
chains by their commitments and actions to says Greenpeace. “Albertsons must differently. threatening condition.
reduce single-use plastics in its recently immediately stop participating in this Some types of imaging tests use Because CT scans use more X-ray
released “Shopping for Plastic 2019” report. program.” radiation. Others use sound waves, radio beams than a normal X-ray, they often
Each and every chain—even those you waves, or magnets. Learning about how deliver a higher dose of radiation. But
would think are leading the charge on Whole Foods’ 11th place finish on the medical scans work can help you feel
reducing plastic—gets a failing score. list begs the question of how the chain more comfortable if you or a loved one medical specialists have ways to
known for its green and healthy food needs one. It can also help you to know calculate the smallest radiation dose
Illinois-based ALDI, with 1,900 stores in 36 selection could be so bad on plastics. needed, explains Dr. Cynthia
states, ranks highest on Greenpeace’s list, Greenpeace says the chain has largely what to ask about before getting an McCollough, a CT imaging researcher
thanks to its efforts to set a specific plastic focused on recycling initiatives and using imaging test. at the Mayo Clinic.
reduction target and establish a more more light weight plastics but needs to “We tailor the dose to the patient’s
comprehensive plastic reduction plan than “up its game to reduce and ultimately The first revolution in seeing size, and we tailor it to the reason for
into the body came with X- the exam,” McCollough says. For
rays. They have been used in the clinic example, a CT scan of the chest needs
for more than 120 years. less radiation than a CT scan of the
“X-rays are still used every day stomach area.
because they can do a lot,” says Dr. Kris McCollough’s lab, with four other
Kandarpa, an imaging expert at NIH. NIH-funded teams, is working on ways
They’re useful for looking at bones and to reduce the amount of radiation these
finding problems in certain types of scans deliver even more. Her team has
tissues, like pneumonia in the lungs. used hundreds of CT scans to find the
X-ray imaging works by passing an lowest radiation dose that’s needed for
energy beam through a part of your a radiologist to make the right
body. Your bones or other body parts diagnosis.
will block some of the X-ray beams “We’ve found that when you take the
from passing through. That makes their dose way down, the images are less
shapes appear on the detectors used to pretty, but they often still get doctors
capture the beams. The detector turns the right answer,” McCollough
the X-rays into a digital image for explains.
a radiologist to look at. While lower doses of radiation
X-ray beams use radiation. Radiation would likely further lower risk,
is energy that’s released as invisible McCollough says that the standard
any of its competitors. That said, ALDI sells end its reliance on single-use plastics.” particles or waves. Being exposed to
mostly its own in-house versions of products Whole Foods’ past groundbreaking very large amounts of radiation can doses are already quite low. That’s
so the company has more control over its efforts in plastics reduction—it was the damage cells and tissues. It may also important for people to know, because
entire supply chain than conventional first large nationwide U.S. retailer to ban “some patients who really need a CT
grocery retailers that draw from thousands single-use checkout bags as well as plastic increase your risk of developing cancer. scan are afraid to get it,” she says.
of different producers. But beyond the straws and then microbeads—aren’t lost But modern X-ray tests use a very Fear can sometimes keep someone
product line and its packaging, ALDI has also on Greenpeace. But given the scale of the small dose of radiation. People are from getting a scan that could help
been more transparent on its plastic practices plastic pollution crisis, Greenpeace says naturally exposed to radiation from improve their health, or even save
and Greenpeace gives bonus points for the Whole Foods “needs to do much more.” many sources, such as the sky, rocks, and
company’s commitment to implement reuse soil. their life. “Current CT doses are in a
and refill systems across the entire chain. While Greenpeace is working hard to range where it’s not possible to even
pressure these corporations to go above “A chest X-ray gives you similar prove a risk exists. They’re that low,”
That’s about as nice as Greenpeace gets in and beyond minimal efforts to reduce amounts of radiation as you’d get in a she says.
the report. While second-place finisher single-use plastics, it’s up to individual plane flight across the Atlantic Ocean,”
Kroger Co. gets kudos for being the only consumers to really drive the point home Kandarpa explains. Continued on Page 11
U.S. retailer of its size to phase out single- by bringing their own reusable shopping
use plastic checkout bags (by 2025) and for bags to the grocery store, staying away
setting plastics recycling goals for its own from products swaddled in unnecessary EarthTalk Continued
branded products, Greenpeace chastises the amounts of throwaway plastic, and RESOURCES: Greenpeace’s “Shopping EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy
grocery behemoth with more than 2,400 complaining to store managers about all For Plastic 2019,” greenpeace.org/usa/ Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3
stores in 31 states for not already taking the plastic wrap everywhere. shopping-for-plastic-2019; “Say NO To nonprofit EarthTalk. To donate, visit
much bolder steps to scale way back on Dow’s Dirty EnergyBag,” no-burn.org/ www.earthtalk.org. Send questions to:
single-use plastic: “These goals might have EARTHTALK CONTINUED: dirtyenergybag. question@earthtalk.org.
been totally rad in the 1990s, but given its

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