Radiation Protection of Patients

A textbook for medical personnel involved in the administration of radiation for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

R. Wootton (Edited by)

9780521426695, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 1 April 1993

168 pages, 38 b/w illus. 30 tables
22.7 x 15.1 x 1 cm, 0.268 kg

This concise volume provides essential advice and guidelines for all those medical personnel involved in the administration of radiation for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. Legislation has been introduced in Europe and the UK to reduce patient radiation doses. In the UK, the Ionising Radiation (Protection of Patients Undergoing Medical Examination or Treatment) Regulations, known colloquially as the POPUMET Regulations, requires medical personnel to have received essential training in radiation protection. This volume covers the background material required by those taking approved training courses and summarises the core of knowledge which forms the basis of the POPUMET regulations. It will therefore be an essential textbook for all staff who are concerned with diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine or radiotherapy and who are about to undertake this training.

Acknowledgements
Foreword
Abbreviations
1. The need for radiation protection of the patient R. Wootton
2. Nature of ionising radiation and its interaction with tissue R. Wootton
3. Genetic and somatic effects of ionising radiation and how to assess their risks M. J. Meyers
4. Radiation doses M. J. Meyers
5. The principles of dose limitation and the various means of dose reduction to the patient including protection of the gonads M. West
6. The principles of quality assurance and quality control applied to both equipment and techniques M. West
7. The specific requirements of women who are, or who may be, pregnant and also of children M. J. Meyers
8. The precautions necessary for handling sealed and unsealed sources K. C. Kam
9. Organisation for radiation protection. The organisational arrangements for advice on radiation protection and how to deal with a suspected case of overexposure A. Bradley
10. Statutory responsibilities M. J. Meyers
11. Factors influencing the choice of diagnostic or therapeutic procedures M. Roddie
12. The value of pre-existing patient information M. Roddie
13. Priorities for spending in the National Health Service B. F. Wall
14. Dental radiography J. Shekdar
15. Cardiology and orthopaedic work M. West
Appendix. Making the best use of a Department of Radiology Royal College of Radiologists.

Subject Areas: Radiography [MQH]