nuclear-news

Children given overdose of diagnostic radioactive substance

X-ray technician overdosed children with radioactive agent ,The Yomiuri Shimbun, 1 Sept, KOFU–-A local hospital said Thursday one of its radiographers had deliberately administered higher-than-recommended amounts of a radioactive substance during examinations of 84 children suffering from kidney ailments since 1999.

Kofu Municipal Hospital said the radiographer intravenously injected a test agent containing radioactive technetium-99m into the children, aged 15 years and younger, between May 1999 and April this year. The amounts exceeded the dose recommended for an adult by the Japan Society of Nuclear Medicine, according to the hospital…..

The radiographer reportedly told the hospital he knowingly gave higher doses of the test agent to the children so clear images could be taken as quickly as possible.

Prof. Norinari Honda, department of radiology and radiology service at Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, said: “While it is sometimes necessary for doctors to conduct these types of examinations, it is a basic principle that patients are subjected to the minimum amount of radiation possible.”  X-ray technician overdosed children with radioactive agent : National : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri)

September 2, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, Japan