O NEGATIVE BLOOD GROUP

O NEGATIVE BLOOD GROUP - A LIFE SAVER

Is O-ve your blood group ???? WOW... you should be very proud.

Whats so special in O-ve blood group. You may or may not know about the facts but learn them now. Because O-ve blood is life saver.

O-ve blood has uniqueness among all other blood groups. As explained in my other post about blood group, there are totally 8 blood groups.

O-ve Name

O -ve is derived from the combination of two major blood group systems. 

1. In the ABO system, O group (O)
2. In the RHD system, Rh(D) negative group.(Negative)

Who can receive blood from O-ve person ?

O-ve blood can be received by all the other blood group persons. O-ve Blood group is the only blood group which can be transfused to any other type of blood. 

In an emergency situation, O-ve can be safely transfused to a patient of any blood group. This is especially useful if there’s no time or equipment to test a patient’s blood group.

LIFE SAVER !

O-ve blood can also save the life of a newborn baby. Babies with some blood disorders may need a transfusion that is compatible with both their own blood and the blood of their mother. In this situation, doctors will often use O- blood.

 

PLEASE DONATE BLOOD

While only a small number of donors are type O-ve, almost everyone can safely be given type O blood in an emergency. This means there is a greater demand for O-ve donations, so if this is your blood type please give blood as regularly as you can.

HUMAN BLOOD

BLOOD CELLS

1. Red Blood Cells - Carries Oxygen in the blood.
2. White Blood Cells - Fights infections.
3. Platelets - Stops the bleeding by clotting.

 

BLOOD GROUP SYSTEM

The two main blood group systems in transfusion practice are :

1. ABO System - Can be of four groups - A, B, AB, O
2. RHD System - Can be of two groups - Rh(D) positive, Rh(D) negative

Both the systems inherit independently resulting in following 8 major blood groups.

Possibilities if blood transfusion are listed in the table. Blood groups in the donor list can give blood to the recipient list with blood drop symbol.

CT SCAN RADIATION LEVEL

How dangerous are CT scan

CT SCAN

CT Scan Machine

CT scan (or) Computed Tomography is used to scan the insides of human body without cutting them. It will result in virtual slices of the scanned area.  

Digital geometry processing is used to generate a 3D image of the inside of an object from a large series of 2D Radiographic images.The cross sectional images are used for Therapeutic and Diagnostic purposes.

CT Scan image

CT Scanning is one of the advanced technology which gives high precision in diagnostics.There are concerns raised for CT scan however it has many advantages,

There are other scan that we all are very familiar with. X-RAY, MRI and Ultrasound scans. All are used for a common purpose - To picture the insides of human anatomy. The only way is to pass the radiations. 

Radiation is just energy on the move. It is generally quite harmless unless exceptionally intense.The radiation wise ranking of the scans are as follows

1. Ultrasound  - Uses Sound waves for scanning the insides.
2. MRI scans  - Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Uses Magnetic and Radio waves
3. X-RAY - Rontgen Radiations - Ionizing Radiation
4. CT Scan - Computed Tomography - Ionizing Radiation

Radiations

•  Ionizing Radiation - Particles carrying energy which is capable of removing electron from atom or molecule. To keep it simple, Ionizing Radiation can damage DNA molecules.

                    eg - X-ray, CT scan radiations

•  Non Ionizing Radiation - Particles carrying less energy which can only excite the electrons of an atom or molecule from lower level to higher level. To keep it simple, Non Ionizing Radiation has less risk of damaging DNA molecules.               

                    eg - Ultraviolet Rays, Radio waves, MRI

  

Question "WHY CT SCAN" before taking one?

 When the doctor asks you for a CT Scan, please feel free to ask him WHY? 

Ask him a question, "Might a test that doesn't involve radiation, such as an ultrasound or MRI, do the job?"

He may say yes. Try to avoid CT Scan as much as possible. 

CT Scans are not dangerous with permissible radiation levels. But when human anatomy is exposed to CT Scans for multiple times, then the risk level increases. CT Scans radiations are 500 times higher than X-rays. 

Since the ionizing radiation can do damage to DNAs, it may lead to cancer ( however chances are less). 

Many technicians who handle the scans are not aware of the permissible limits. Children have a separate settings for CT scans. Make sure if "pediatric-appropriate settings" are made before taking CT scan for children.Because for children, the vulnerability of cell damage is too high than an adult. 

If you have no choice other than taking CT scan, then make sure you have your pen drive with you. Demand a soft copy of the CT scan and it would be helpful if you upload them to your mailbox. Its not common to carry the hard copies everywhere but if its required, in some cases, another Doctor may demand for CT scan report. If we have one in our mailbox, we can share the same. Otherwise, another round of scanning is required which increases the risk level. 

So use CT SCAN and X-RAY APPROPRIATELY.  If its really REQUIRED.