Highlights and Conclusions Thematic Area 4: Radiation of Patients

Transcription

1 Highlights and Conclusions Thematic Area 4: Radiation of Patients by Robert H. Corbett and Eliseo Vañó Main topics: Diagnostic Radiology Interventional Radiology Nuclear Medicine Radiotherapy New Techniques Abstracts Received: 136 Diagnostic Radiology: 9 Diagnostic Reference Levels; 11 Computed Tomography; 28 General; 12 Mammography; 7 Quality assurance; 6 Dental Nuclear Medicine: 16 papers Radiotherapy: 29 papers New technologies: 3 papers Interventional Radiology: 5 Cardiac and 5 Peripheral Refresher Courses: Mammography Screening (Keith Faulkner) Radiation Protection in Cardiac and Interventional Procedures (Christine Reek) Key Note Lecture: Training Users of Medical Radiation (Written by Fred Mettler, interpreted by R H Corbett) Posters: Increasing interest in dental dosimetry, implementation of quality assurance (QA), digital radiology, CT, DRLs, mammography, image quality, patient dosimetry in pregnancy. There is increasing interest in patient dose and QA in Nuclear Medicine Radiotherapy papers concentrate on Monte Carlo simulations, neutron contamination in photon beams, QA, in vivo dosimetry, brachytherapy and radiosurgery. Comforters and carers danger of 20mSv in new recommendations beware the pregnant carer at both ends of age spectrum. Conclusions: Radiation protection (RP) training for medical exposures is still a challenge and needs to be promoted. This training should be integrated into clinical practice. Efforts and means to attract medical doctors to these training activities should be investigated. 1

2 Industry should include RP training in the basic training for new equipment. Computed tomography (CT) screening and self referral should be avoided. Such procedures require full justification. The public must be informed of the risks of such. CT and other digital techniques could be optimised with the help of phantoms, adapting image quality to the clinical task. Further research in this field is needed. The practical use of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) could take into account patient size and the complexity of procedures. Patient dosimetry audit, together with fluoroscopy time and number of images would help in the optimisation of complex procedures. Paediatrics needs special attention. There is a need to coordinate activity between national and international actions of RP, especially with the IAEA international action plan for patient protection. Methods to estimate patient dose and skin dose distribution in interventional radiology (IR) is also being actively researched. 2

3 International Radiation Protection Association 11 th International Congress Madrid, Spain - May 23-28, 2004 Highlights and Conclusions Thematic Area 4. Radiation of Patients Robert H. Corbett Topics Diagnostic Radiology Interventional Radiology Nuclear Medicine Radiotherapy New Techniques 2

4 136 Abstracts Received 3 Diagnostic Radiology 9 Diagnostic Reference Levels 11 Computed Tomography 28 General 12 Mammography 7 Quality assurance 6 Dental 16 Nuclear Medicine 29 Radiotherapy 3 new technologies 4

5 Interventional Radiology 5 Cardiac 5 Peripheral 5 Refresher Courses Mammography Screening Keith Faulkner Radiation Protection in Cardiac and Interventional Procedures Christine Reek 6

6 Key Note Lecture Training Users of Medical Radiation Written by Fred Mettler Interpreted by R H Corbett 7 POSTERS 8

7 Some Conclusions 1 Radiation Protection training for medical exposures is still a challange and needs to be promoted. This training should be integrated into clinical practice Efforts and means to attract medical doctors to these training activities should be investigated 9 Some Conclusions 2 Industry should include RP training in the basic training for new equipment CT Screening and self referral should be avoided. Such procedures require full justification. The public must be informed of the risks of such. CT and other digital techniques could be optimised with the help of phantoms, adapting image quality to the clinical task. Further research in this field is needed. 10

8 Some Conclusions 3 The practical use of DRLs could take into account patient size and the complexity of procedures Patient dosimetry audit, especially of fluoro time and numbers of images would help in the optimisation of complex procedures, esp. paediatrics 11 Some Conclusions 4 Posters: increasing interest interest in dental dosimetry, implementation of QA, digital radiology, CT, DRLs, mammography,image quality, patient dosimetry in pregnancy There is a need to coordinate activity between national and international actions of RP, especially with the IAEA international action plan 12

9 Some conclusions 5 Methods to estimate patient dose and skin dose distribution in IR is also being actively researched There is increasing interest in patient dose and QA in Nuclear Medicine 13 Some Conclusions 6 Radiotherpy papers concentrate on Monte Carlo simulations, neutron contamination in photon beams, QA, in vivo dosimetry, brachytherapy and radiosurgery Comforters and carers danger of 20mSv in new recommendations beware the pregnant carer at both ends of age spectrum 14

10 A Highlight 15 16