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Radiation exposure and the justification of computed tomography scanning in an Australian hospital emergency department

journal contribution
posted on 2009-11-01, 00:00 authored by Maryann StreetMaryann Street, Z Brady, B Van Every, K Thomson
In an emergency department (ED), computed tomography (CT) is particularly beneficial in the investigation of high-speed trauma patients. With the advent of multidetector CT (MDCT) scanners, it is becoming faster and easier to conduct scans. In recent years, this has become evident with an increasing number of CT requests. Patients who have multiple CT scans during their hospital stay can receive radiation doses that have an increased theoretical risk of induction of cancer. It is essential that the clinical justification for each CT scan be considered on an individual basis and that due consideration is given to the radiation risk and possible diagnostic benefit. The current lack of a central State or Commonwealth data repository for medical images is a contributing factor to excessive radiation dosage to the population. The principles of justification and radiation risks are discussed in this study.

History

Journal

Internal medicine journal

Volume

39

Issue

11

Pagination

713 - 719

Publisher

Wiley - Blackwell Publishing Asia

Location

Richmond, Vic.

ISSN

1444-0903

eISSN

1445-5994

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

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