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Shortcomings in doctors’ understanding of ionising radiation in medicine

Residents lack knowledge of radiation safety By Eric Barnes, AuntMinnie.com staff writer May 30, 2014 — Medical residents have limited knowledge of radiation safety, with just over half knowing that fluoroscopy could produce radiation-induced skin burns, for example. Radiology residents were only marginally more informed, according to survey results published inAcademic Radiology.

To their credit, 95% of residents, regardless of specialty, reported a link between ionizing radiation and the future development of cancer, the authors wrote. For radiology residents, 98% said they believe in such a link.

However, only 60% of residents (97% of diagnostic radiology residents) knew that fluoroscopy could result in skin burns. And only 51% of residents (48% of diagnostic radiology residents) correctly estimated that the dose from a single abdominal CT scan is equivalent to approximately 100 chest x-rays. Slightly more than a third of all residents knew that children are about five times more radiosensitive than adults (Academic Radiology, April 7, 2014).

“We need more education both for radiologists and nonradiologists, but probably radiology residents need to know it better,” Dr. Gelareh Sadigh from Emory University told AuntMinnie.com. Sadigh’s co-authors on the paper included Dr. Kimberly Applegate and others from Emory and Children’s Hospital in Atlanta.

Controversial relationship

The relationship between radiation dose and cancer risk remains controversial, but the general consensus in the scientific community is that there is no safe radiation dose. There is growing concern that low-dose ionizing radiation may be associated with increased cancer risk depending on the dose and duration of exposure, especially in young patients, the authors wrote……….

Radiology residents — particularly diagnostic radiology residents — showed moderately higher knowledge than their clinical resident colleagues when estimating radiation dose and deterministic and stochastic risks from radiation exposure,” Sadigh and colleagues wrote. But the differences weren’t impressive.

“We were expecting residents, especially those working in heavy fluoro units, to have more knowledge about radiation,” Sadigh said.

Overall, 95% said they believe there is a link between radiation exposure and cancer development; however, residents’ knowledge about specific dose effects was limited…….

Sadigh and colleagues were surprised by the low levels of radiation knowledge among the residents.

“Only 27% knew that people involved in radiology interventional work are at five times the risk of developing cataracts,” he said. “We were expecting that residents who were working with fluoroscopy, like surgeons and especially vascular surgery, would know more.”

And most residents were way off the mark in guessing the approximate dose of an abdominal CT scan.

“It can vary a lot, but we also gave a very wide range, and less than 50% chose a range anywhere close to what it might be, even radiology residents, which is very disappointing” Sadigh said.

Underestimating the dose and the potential harms of a test could lead to inappropriate imaging, the authors noted……http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=ser&sub=def&pag=dis&ItemID=107558

May 30, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | radiation, USA