(Snippets from the frontline)
Glowing in the dark
When you have an x-ray procedure, the doctor or technician wears a badge to detect radiation and prevent overdose. By law, the badge is analyzed to protect that individual.
What about the patient? Nada.
Doctors order tests over and over again exposing patients to radiation, especially as we age and are more prone to medical problems. How does a physician know if the accumulative amount might be too much…when their patient glows in the dark?
Do patients ever reach a limit? Well, doctors and technicians wear badges that are analyzed looking for particular levels. Why don’t we do this for patients? Could there be overexposure causing medical problems (like cancer), and we don’t even know it?
Some radiology groups list the amount of radiation exposure on their report, but only for that hospital. Cumulative amounts are not added from other hospitals or out-patient facilities.
Want to make a lot of money?
Make a badge.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
What a GREAT Subject! And, very closely related:: how about dental x-rays?
I’ve always been annoyed that xray tech’s could not tell me what my dose is. I’m sure it’s small, but the absence of numbers means ” just trust us”.