X-rays themselves do not directly cause abnormal heart rhythms. The process of taking an X-ray involves exposing the body to a small amount of ionizing radiation to create images of internal structures, such as bones or the chest area, including the heart. This exposure is generally very low and brief, and it does not interfere with the electrical activity of the heart that controls its rhythm.
Abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, occur when the electrical signals that coordinate heartbeats are disrupted. These disruptions can be caused by various factors such as heart disease, electrolyte imbalances, medications, or structural changes in the heart. However, routine diagnostic X-rays, including chest X-rays, are not known to induce such electrical disturbances or arrhythmias.
In some medical procedures involving X-rays, such as coronary angiography, a contrast dye is injected and X-ray imaging is used to visualize blood vessels. While the procedure itself carries some risks, including the rare possibility of triggering irregular heart rhythms, these are typically related to the invasive nature of the procedure, the contrast dye, or the underlying heart condition—not the X-ray radiation itself.
Radiation exposure at much higher doses, such as in radiation therapy for cancer, can affect heart tissue and potentially lead to heart problems over time, but this is a different context from diagnostic X-rays. Even then, arrhythmias are not a common immediate effect of radiation exposure.
In summary, standard diagnostic X-rays do not cause abnormal heart rhythms. Any arrhythmias observed in patients undergoing X-ray-based procedures are more likely related to the procedure’s invasiveness, contrast agents, or pre-existing heart conditions rather than the X-ray radiation itself.