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1. Introduction
2. Aims
3. Effects of ionising radiation
3.1. Introduction
3.2. High dose / dose rate
3.2.1. High doses in medicine
3.3. Low dose / dose rate
3.3.1. Evidence for low dose effects
3.3.2. Evidence for low dose effects2
3.4. Summary of effects
4. Self Test 1
4.1. What are the only known effects of low dose radiation?
4.2. What is the approximate risk of getting cancer from exposure to ionizing radiation?
4.3. It is possible to receive a very high radiation dose from diagnostic x-rays although this is extremely rare.
5. Use of radiation in medicine
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Procedures that use ionizing radiation
5.3. Typical doses and associated risks of cancer
5.4. Growth of CT scanning
6. Self Test 2
6.1. Which of the following DO NOT involve the use of ionizing radiation?
6.2. Which of the following DO involve the use of ionizing radiation?
6.3. What is the approximate risk of the average person getting cancer associated with an abdominal x-ray?
6.4. What is the approximate risk of the average person getting cancer associated with an abdominal CT scan?
6.5. Excluding natural background radiation, the medicinal use of ionizing radiation is the largest source of this radiation to the Australian Public.
7. Radiation in the community
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Natural background radiation
7.3. Limits on radiation dose
8. Self Test 3
8.1. How large is the average natural background radiation dose per annum in Australia?
8.2. A radiation worker in Australia must not receive an ionizing radiation dose of more than 20 mSv per annum. What is the maximum permitted dose that a medical practitioner may request for a patient?
9. Justification of the procedure
9.1. Introduction
9.2. Principles of justification
9.3. Risk benefit ratio
10. Self Test 4
10.1 Which of the following has no influence on the risk associated with any particular ionizing radiation exposure?
10.2 A radiation dose of 20 mSv gives approximately the same risk of death as the average person driving on Western Australian roads for a period of
10.3 An ionizing radiation test should be requested for the patient if the patient demands it.
10.4 An ionizing radiation test should be requested for a patient if the benefit of the test outweighs the risk of getting cancer from the test
10.5 In general, an ionizing radiation test should be requested for the patient if the results from the test will affect patient management.
11. Important Issues
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Questions to be asked
11.3 Whose role is justification
11.4 Diagnostic Imaging Pathways
12. References
13. Author
Use of radiation in medicine
Procedures that use ionising radiation
Procedures that use ionising radiation include:
plain x-ray (including digital)
fluoroscopy
CT scans
PET scans
Nuclear medicine procedures
NOTE: the following DO NOT use ionising radiation
MRI
ultrasound (including Doppler)