Prevention of radiation injury from medical imaging

Introduction: Concerns over radiation safety are valid. Understanding and maintaining safe administration helps patients understand the potential risks during endovascular procedures. Methods: X-ray production, units of radiation exposure, and forms of direct and indirect exposures are discussed. Results: Positioning of the image intensifier as close to the patient as practical, moving the x-ray tube as far from the patient as possible, and using pulse fluoroscopy are all ways to help decrease the radiation dose. Collimation, achievable without the use of fluoroscopy, improves image quality while decreasing the radiation dose. Time, distance, and shielding are the three most productive means of reducing radiation exposure. Conclusion: The best defense against radiation injury to both patient and staff is to minimize the total fluoroscopy time, keep the image intensifier close to the patient, collimate to the region of interest, and use appropriate radiation shielding and monitoring. (J Vasc Surg 2011;53:22S-27S.)