Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2021
Keywords:
Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Digital radiography, Education, Education and training
Authors:
P. Botella Faus, P. García Castañón, S. HONORATO HERNANDEZ, P. Rodriguez Carnero, C. PRIETO MARTIN
DOI:
10.26044/esi2021/ESI-13892
Methods or background
The Medical Physics and Radiological Protection Department of Hospital Universitario La Princesa (Madrid, Spain) has prepared some basic information for patients and carers, in the form of a leaflet and a poster. First, an information leaflet or triptych, intended to be available at patient waiting rooms of radiology departments. Then, a poster has been prepared in order to implement these regulations, especially to place at pediatric radiology departments. The information has been prepared taking into account both regulatory texts and some basic information provided to patients by national and international organizations, such as the international atomic energy agency (IAEA), (3) or the web page of the Spanish Medical Physics Society (SEFM) (4).
The leaflet is aimed at family members and carers who voluntarily collaborate in the well-being of the patient subjected to diagnostic procedures with X-rays. It starts with basic information regarding X-rays, their nature and interaction with matter. Then, it focuses briefly on biological effects of radiation, both deterministic and stochastic, and the typical amount of radiation received during diagnostic x-ray procedures. The leaflet ends with some basic radiation protection information as on how to proceed as a patient carer during a procedure, what to do and not do, and some conclusions.
An opinion survey has been included in the leaflet to evaluate its efficacy and usefulness for the patients. The survey can be accessed using a QR code contained at the end of the leaflet.
Survey results have been taken into account for further reviews of the text.
The poster is aimed at women who voluntarily collaborate in the well-being of the patient subjected to diagnostic procedures with X-rays and happen to be, or may be, pregnant. This situation may be rather usual at children's hospitals or paediatric radiology departments. According to Article 7(2), exposure to ionizing radiation should be avoided would that be the case, but most parents do not to know that (nor have to9, so it seemed advisable to prepare a simple poster with clear information to warn these women.