5 responses to “Minimizing radiation exposure – decision to order imaging?”

  1. Our local radiologist has definitely brought this problem to light for us especially in the use of CT scans and especially in young women of child bearing age. The article is very relevant in making us question the use of technology with the eye to potential unintended side effects whether the benefit outweighs the risk in each individual circumstances.

  2. I would be happy to use MRIs when I find patients with lumbar problems & hard neurological signs BUT in Canada (which I believe has a similar number of MRIs to Egypt) this is impractical – CTs are hard & slow enough to get!
    And you can get neither unless you first order an irrelevant & ionising lumbosacralspine X-ray.dougacce its

  3. I absolutely agree with this approach. I was fortunate to receive a copy of the Canadian Radiological Society manual of recommendations for imaging a few years ago. It was very useful in helping to decide the most appropriate imaging for a problem. Just as useful is the listing in the first few pages of the radiation exposure of various imaging. I don’t worry at all about chest Xrays and have been very wary of CT scans, expecially in young people.

  4. the real question is what our patients would do if given $500 and the option of keeping the money or paying for the CT scan.

  5. I agree with this approach. I recently discussed this with a radiologist friend who said a CT chest is equivalent to 100 chest x-rays in terms of radiation exposure.

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