Radiation Exposure

From Anvita Health Wiki

Introduction

• USA residents receive approximately 3 mSv annually from background environmental radiation
• healthcare workers who are exposed to radiation are restricted to a total of 100 mSv every 5 years
• largest contributions to cumulative radiation doses include computed tomography of the abdomen & pelvis (30%), myocardial perfusion imaging (22%), & CT of the chest (8%)
• abdominal CT delivers 50-fold more radiation than plain films [7]
• exposure to about 9-10 mSv of radiation with CT of the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis [4]
• coronary angiography ( diagnostic) delivers 200-500 fold more radiation than chest X-ray [5]
• myocardial perfusion study delivers 100-500 fold more radiation than chest X-ray [5]
• CT angiography delivers 700-2100 fold more radiation than chest X-ray [5]
• positron emission tomography of the heart delivers 100-400 fold more radiation than chest X-ray [5]
• coronary artery calcium delivers 20-40 fold more radiation than chest X-ray [5]
• magnetic resonance imaging & echocardiography do not result in signficant exposure to radiation [5]
• 1 cancer per 1000 patients receiving 10 mSv of radiation [4]
• radiation exposure from CT may cause 1.5-2% of cancers in USA [2]
• no safe dose; thus benefits of procedure must be weighed against risks [1]

Additional Terms

• electromagnetic radiation
• radiation injury; radiation toxicity
• radiation therapy (XRT)
• sun exposure

References

1. Fazel R et al. Exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation from medical imaging procedures. N Engl J Med 2009 Aug 27; 361:849. PMID: [1]
2. Brenner DJ and Hall EJ Computed tomography - An increasing source of radiation exposure. N Engl J Med 2007, 357:2277 PMID: [2]
3. FDA MedWatch [3]
4. Griffey RT and Sodickson A. Cumulative radiation exposure and cancer risk estimates in emergency department patients undergoing repeat or multiple CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2009 Apr; 192:887. PMID: [4]
5. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 15, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2009
6. Radiation Exposure: NIH Institute and Center Resources [5]
7. National Guideline Clearinghouse
   - Medical management of the acute radiation syndrome: recommendations of the Strategic National Stockpile Radiation Working Group. ngc-guideline: [6]

radiation exposure