New NCRP Report Shows Medical Procedures Contribute to Increased
Radiation Exposure
The National Council on Radiation Protection
and Measurements (NCRP) released Report No. 160, on March 3, 2009,
which indicates that in 2006 Americans were exposed to more than
seven times as much ionizing radiation from medical procedures
compared to past studies and reports.
In particular, this increase can be attributed to an
increased use of computed tomography (CT) and nuclear medicine,
contributing overall to 36 percent of the total exposure and 75
percent of the medical radiation exposure.
Background radiation, including radon, still contributes to
about 50 percent of the overall exposure; thus showing no change.
This report provides a complete review of all
radiation exposures to the
U.S.
population during 2006, updating the 1987 NCRP Report 93.
The report highlights that the groups of citizens exposed to
medical procedures are in age older and in health status have more
medical problems.
The Conference of Radiation Control Program
Directors believes that the medical dose has increased because:
1)
There are more people,
2)
More people are receiving medical exams than before,
3)
There is lack of awareness in the medical community about the
radiation dose from these procedures.
Approximately one-half of the total medical dose
contributions now comes from CT and nuclear medicine.
When an individual is told a diagnostic imaging
procedure is needed to diagnose a medical condition, CRCPD
recommends that citizens discuss with their health care provider the
need for the procedure and alternatives.
Federal and state radiation control programs,
in collaboration with other professional radiation organizations,
are making efforts to educate citizens and health care providers
about dose reduction techniques.
One of those efforts is the "Image Gently" campaign to
improve radiation awareness to referring physicians who prescribe CT
scans for their patients.
Children are particularly at risk for developing late in life
health problems from multiple CT examinations, and "Image Gently"
encourages parents to keep logs of CT examinations.
This campaign also provides information about
other diagnostic procedures that may be performed before a CT scan,
and also advises about modern CT systems now equipped with automatic
exposure control that helps to reduce patient dose levels to a
minimum. More
information on the "Image Gently" campaign can be found at the
following website:
http://spr.affiniscape.com/associations/5364/ig/index.cfm?page=369
