The X-ray process involves some exposure to radiation, which in large amounts is a cause of cancer. However, the risk of developing cancer after undergoing X-rays is normally very low.

We are all exposed to some radiation in our daily lives, though of course the amount varies a lot depending on the type of environment we are in. The ground we walk on and the food we eat contain radioactive materials, which usually won't harm us. Most routine X-ray procedures, such as the one you might have to check for a broken arm or leg, contain about the same level of radiation as you would meet in a few days of normal life.

However, X-ray examinations that involve fluids, such as the barium meal process, do involve more radiation - similar to the amount you would encounter in a couple of years of normal life - and therefore they carry a higher risk.