What are the dangers of x rays?

An x-ray uses radiation, which can cause cancer if you are exposed to it over a prolonged period of time. Also, X rays do not provide nearly the same amount of information that can be gained from an MRI or other types of body scans, which can give highly detailed imagery in three dimensions. However the X ray is not dangerous if used once in a while, and it still has its uses in the medical field. As an example: it is much less expensive to get an X ray of a broken ankle than to MRI the leg to determine if the bones are in fact broken, and yet X rays are just as effective.