A balancing act: Potential benefits versus possible risks
Keywords:
computed tomography, nuclear medicine, milli-SievertAbstract
Non-invasive imaging that leads to early, more precise and much less morbid diagnosis has revolutionised patient management. There is a significant increase in radiation dose from medical procedures using non-invasive imaging such as CT and nuclear medicine. Minimising radiation dose without compromising diagnostic quality is obviously key. Self-referral, the fear of litigation, image quality, training, equipment and to some extent advanced technology are identified as factors that contribute to increased radiation dose. There is a need to control and minimize health risks, while maximizing the benefits of radiation in medicine as the inappropriate handling of radiation can result in potential health hazards both for patients and staff.
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Published
2009-12-08
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Original Articles
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